Nymphaeaceae FAMILY
Nymphaea nouchali
Nymphaea nouchali
Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
2/5
Safety & Hazards
All parts of the plant, except for the seeds, contain the alkaloid nymphaeine. This alkaloid is toxic to frogs and produces tetanus-like symptoms[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].
Botanical Description
Blue waterlilly is an herbaceous plant with a perennial, tuberous rootstock. It grows from the bottom of ponds and lakes, producing a rosette of leaves that float on the surface of the water. The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for its edible and medicinal properties. It is sometimes also grown as a food crop and is commonly cultivated as an ornamental.
Habitat & Origin
Origintropical
Native RangeTropical Africa, through Asia to Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea and Australia.
HabitatRivers, lakes and pools[ 308 Title Flora Zambesiaca Publication Author Website http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants. ]. Shallow ponds, ditches and lakes at elevations up to 500 metres[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].