Nuphar polysepala (the great yellow pond-lily or wokas;[1] syn. Nuphar polysepalum orth. err., Nuphar lutea subsp. polysepala (Engelm.) E.O.Beal) is a species of Nuphar native to western North America.[2][3] It is commonly found in shallow muddy ponds from northern Alaska and Yukon southward to central California and northern New Mexico, and can be recognized easily by its large floating leaves and bright yellow blossoms.
| Nuphar polysepala | |
|---|---|
| |
| Leaves and flower. Yellowstone National Park. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Order: | Nymphaeales |
| Family: | Nymphaeaceae |
| Genus: | Nuphar |
| Section: | Nuphar sect. Astylus |
| Species: | N. polysepala
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| Binomial name | |
| Nuphar polysepala | |
Habitat and ecology
editIt reproduces by both seed and rhizome. Seeds are generally gathered from mid August to early October. The rhizomes are underground stems that are thick and fleshy. These rhizomes are hard to pry since they are submerged in mud and are difficult to dig. The leaves float on the water surface, and have an external waxy coating which makes the leaf waterproof and thus allows the leaf stomata to breathe freely; they are glossy green, oval, 10–45 cm long and 7–30 cm wide, with a notch at one side to the leaf stem. The leaves provide shelter for fish. The rhizomes (underground stems) are round and submerged in mud.[2][3]
Description
editGenerative characteristics
editThe flowers are 5–10 cm diameter, and have 6 to 12 (most often 9) bright yellow petal-like sepals; the true petals are small, hidden near the stamens. Inside the flower from top view anthers can be seen as red and true petals are wedge-shaped and are hidden by the stamens. The fruit is an ovoid green to yellowish capsule 4–6 cm (rarely 9 cm) long 3.5–6 cm wide.[2][3]
Cytology
editThe chromosome count is 2n = 34.[4]
Etymology
editThe specific epithet polysepala means "with many sepals".[5]
Uses
editFood
edit
The seeds are edible; they pop like popcorn, and can be steamed as a vegetable, dried and ground for flour, or can be cooked like oatmeal.[3] Historically they have been a significant source of carbohydrates for the Klamath and Modoc peoples who inhabit the area near Oregon's Upper Klamath Lake.[6]
Medicinal
editLeaves and rootstocks have been used for ulcerous skin conditions and swelling. The rootstock infusion is used as a traditional gargle for mouth, sore throats and douche for vaginal inflammation. The rootstock is prepared from two tablespoon chopped rhizome with one cup boiling water .[3]
References
edit- ^ John Merle Coulter; University of Chicago; M.S. Coulter; Charles Reid Barnes; Joseph Charles Arthur (1904). Botanical Gazette. University of Chicago Press. p. 396.
- ^ a b c Flora of North America: Nuphar polysepala
- ^ a b c d e Schofield, J.J. (1989). Marshes, Ponds, and Wet Places in Alaska, Western Canada, and the Northwest. pp. 53–55. ISBN 0-88240-355-9.
- ^ Pellicer, J., Kelly, L. J., Magdalena, C., & Leitch, I. J. (2013). Insights into the dynamics of genome size and chromosome evolution in the early diverging angiosperm lineage Nymphaeales (water lilies). Genome, 56(8), 437-449.
- ^ Bayton, R. (2020). Practical Uses of Botanical Latin. In The Gardener's Botanical: An Encyclopedia of Latin Plant Names - with More than 5,000 Entries (pp. 22-318). Princeton: Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691209135-007
- ^ "Indians Turn Klamath Lake Lilies into Diet Staple". Jefferson Public Radio. 2015-01-26. Retrieved 2015-02-26.