Nymphaea macrosperma Merr. & L. M. Perry

Nymphaea macrosperma Merr. & L. M. Perry

Nymphaea macrosperma Merr. & L. M. Perry is a species waterlily from Australia. It is in the same complex of plants that includes Nymphaea gigantea Hooker but there are several different characteristics. N. macrosperma produces variable seedlings in blue, pink and white. N. gigantea produces in one color spectrum like the parent. The pads of N. macrosperma are round while those of N. gigantea are egg shaped. The pads of N. macrosperma have a full adult size that is typically smaller than N. gigantea. N. macrospermaalso has a color underneath the pads that usually matches up with the color of the bloom. It also has prominent veins underneath. The edge of the pad on N. macrosperma has many more teeth per square inch than N. gigantea on comparably sized pads.