In our region the most commonly encountered water lilies are ...

• Water snowflake [Nymphoides indica], native
• Blue water lily [Nymphaea caerulea subsp. Zanzibarensis], exotic
• Yellow water lily, [Nymphaea mexicana], exotic
• Swamp lily [Ottelia ovalifolia], native

Water snowflake

Water snowflake [Nymphoides indica] is a very common and beautiful plant, seen in many of our dams and slow moving streams. It has a small white fringed flower, with a touch of yellow at the base. It develops a propagule under the mature leaf. This drops to the bottom of the water body and develops into a new plant. Its leaves are up to 50 cm in diameter, entire and often eaten by various insects.  Its name, Nymphoides indica comes from the Greek word Nymphaea meaning ‘water nymph’; oides, meaning ‘like’, and indica, meaning white. It can be quite dense at times; but is usually only seen around the edge of dams as it does not grow in water deeper than 2 metres.

Blue water lily

The Blue water lily [Nymphaea caerulea subsp. Zanzibarensis] is also very common in similar locations to water snowflake. Its flower can vary in colour from blue to pink. Caerulea means ‘blue’. Leaves are large [to about 50 cm in diameter], and has sinuate margins [slightly scalloped].  Often you will notice that leaves of this plant are not eaten nearly as much by insects...as it is not a local.

It can be confused with a couple of other species...Nymphaea gigantea , which is native, but is now considered to be almost extinct in S E Qld.

Nymphaea violacea is a beautiful water lily with a pinkish/blue flower.  It has a wavy margin to the leaf, rather than toothed or serrate. It grows in North Queensland, NT, and W A. Flower is on a long [up to 30 cm] stalk. It also lacks the blue terminal anther of Nymphaea caerulea subsp.Zanzibarensis.

Yellow waterlily

Yellow water lily, [Nymphaea mexicana] is also very common [unfortunately!!] This is a native of [yes, you guessed] Mexico. Leaves have slightly wavy margins, and a habit of ‘sitting up’ rather than lying flat on the top of the water like most of the other water lilies. Grows in water up to two metres deep. It has rhizomes and long stolons from the top of the rhizome. Have a look at the Duck ponds in Gympie, for a positive ID. Flower colour from pale to deep yellow.

Swamp lily

Swamp lily [Ottelia ovalifolia] is common, native and beautiful. Can handle more of a water flow than the others. The leaf is more oval rather than round, up to around 16 cm long Flowers are glorious...white with maroon base.

Others you may see are Nymphoides crenata [Wavy marshwort], which has a fringed yellow flower, leaves to 12 cm with crenate margins. Not common around here, but found more to the west.

And Brasenia schreberi [Watersheild] which has an oval leaf to 8 cm long and entire margin. Flowers are maroon in colour. This plant is the only other plant in the family CABOMBACEAE, which is notorious for Cabomba caroliniana [Fanwort...a Weed of National Significance]

 - all photos by Phil Moran -