Nymphaea capensis

Cape blue waterlily
Nymphaea capensis at Helderberg Nature Reserve
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
Order:	Nymphaeales
Family:	Nymphaeaceae
Genus:	Nymphaea
Species:	N. capensis
Binomial name
Nymphaea capensis Thunb.

Nymphaea capensis (Cape blue water lily) is an aquatic flowering plant of the water lily family Nymphaeaceae.

It is found growing abundantly in freshwater habitats in tropical regions of Africa, which it is native to, and as an introduced species in, Australia, the state of Florida, and other tropical areas.^[1] This plant's bulb can survive relatively long periods of time without rainfall in a dry river bed. During the rain season, as the riverbed or bog fills up, the bulb will sprout leaves and flowers.

The Cape blue water lily grows best in full sun to semi-sun and in relatively shallow water.

References

1. ^ "USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program". Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?415615. Retrieved 8 November 2011. 

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