More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Waterlilies, Fanworts, and Allies of Zihuatanejo
ORDER NYMPHAEALES
Dotleaf Waterlily
Nymphaea ampla
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Waterlilies, Fanworts, and Allies (Order Nymphaeales)
-Waterlily Family (Family Nymphaeaceae)
-Waterlilies (Genus Nymphaea)
-Dotleaf Waterlily (Nymphaea ampla)
The Dotleaf Waterlily (Nymphaea ampla) is an aquatic flowering plant native to the tropical and subtropical Americas, including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America. It grows rooted in the mud of ponds, lakes, slow rivers, and wetlands, with large, round, floating leaves that are bright green and often marked with distinct purple or dark reddish spots, the feature that gives the plant its common name. The leaves have wavy margins and radiate from long stalks that rise from submerged rhizomes. Its flowers are large, showy, and star-like, typically white to pale blue, with numerous petals surrounding a bright yellow center, and they open during the day, attracting pollinators such as bees and beetles. Dotleaf Waterlily plays an important ecological role by providing shade, shelter, and breeding habitat for fish, amphibians, and aquatic invertebrates, while also helping stabilize sediments and improve water quality.
Description
• Nymphaea ampla, commonly known as white water lily or tropical white water lily, is an aquatic perennial plant in the water lily family (Nymphaeaceae). It has rounded, floating leaves with a notch extending from the edge towards the centre, and smooth surfaces that may show reddish or purplish tones underneath. Its showy white flowers rise above or float on the water surface, with numerous petals surrounding a yellow centre of stamens. The flowers may open during the day and close at night. After flowering, the plant develops a submerged fruit containing seeds.
Range
• Nymphaea ampla is native to the tropical Americas, including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of northern South America. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• This species grows in freshwater habitats such as ponds, lakes, marshes, slow-moving streams, and quiet backwaters. It favours still or gently flowing water with sufficient sunlight and a muddy or silty bottom where its roots can anchor. Its floating leaves provide shelter for aquatic invertebrates and small animals, while its flowers attract insect pollinators.