Blue water lilies in Queensland.
Nymphaea gigantea.
The commonest blue form it has many cultivars and other species are often misnamed as it.
Leaves up to 80 cm have regular teeth 5 mm long.
Flowers held above the water are up to 50 cm wide with up to 32 petals with blunt tips.
Petal colours are blue or white (pink rare) and they fade to nearly white.
Nymphaea caerulea. Synonym Nymphaea capensis.
Leaves up to 45 cm wide with wavy edges.
Flowers, above the water, are up to 30 cm across with about 35 petals with pointed tips.
Petals blue, pink or white.
Often mis-identified as N. gigantea.
Nymphaea violacea.
Leaves 30 – 40 cm across have smooth or wavy edges.
Flowers held well above the water.
Up to 45 petals in blue, mauve, pink or white.
A variable species.
Nymphaea nouchali.
Flowers partly above the water.
About 10 petals with pointed tips in blue, pink or white.
Nymphaea macrosperma.
Leaves up to 55 cm wide with teeth.
Flowers above the water have up to 22 petals in deep blue, occasionally pink or white.
Nymphaea immutabilis, N. carpentariae and N. georginae.
These all have flowers above the water that are white or white with some blue.
From Flora of Australia Vol 2.
J.F.
