Nuphar pumila, the least water-lily, is a perennial, rhizomatous, aquatic herbLeast Water-lily Nuphar pumila. (n.d.). LuontoPortti – NatureGate. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://luontoportti.com/en/t/2314/least-water-lily in the family Nymphaeaceae native to subarctic and temperate Eurasia.
Description
Vegetative characteristics Nuphar pumila is a perennial,Nuphar pumila - (Timm.)DC. (n.d.). Plants for a Future (PFAF). Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Nuphar+pumila rhizomatous, aquatic herb with 20–70 cm long, and 1–3 cm wide rhizomes. The ovate leaves are 5–10(–13) cm long,Nuphar pumila (Timm) DC. (n.d.). InfoFlora. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://www.infoflora.ch/de/flora/nuphar-pumila.html and 6–12 cm wide. The pubescent petiole is 20–50 cm long. The submerged leaves are round and wrinkled. Generative characteristics The yellow, actinomorphic, faintly fragrant,Bundesamt für Naturschutz. (n.d.). Nuphar pumila (Timm) DC. (Zwerg-Teichrose). FloraWeb. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://www.floraweb.de/php/artenhome.php?name-use-id=3858 1–4.5(–6) cm wide flowers have pubescent, 40–50 cm long peduncles The five ovate to spathulate sepals are 16–29 mm long, and 9–16 mm wide.Padgett, D. J. (1998). Phenetic distinction between the dwarf yellow water-lilies: Nuphar microphylla and N. pumila (Nymphaeaceae). Canadian journal of botany, 76(10), 1755-1762. The abaxial surface of the sepals is often green. The flower has 9–13 petals. The androecium consists of 35–65 stamens. The gynoecium consists of 7–12 carpels.Müller, F., Ritz, C. M., Wesche, K., & Welk, E. (2021). Rothmaler - Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Gefäßpflanzen: Grundband. p. 131. Springer Spektrum. The star-shaped stigmatic disk with 7–12 stigmatic rays is 6–8.5 mm wide. The green, 1–2 cm wide fruit bears greenish brown, ovoid to oblong, 3–5 mm long seeds.
Cytology The chromosome count is 2n = 34. The chloroplast genome is 160737 bp long.He, D., Gichira, A. W., Li, Z., Nzei, J. M., Guo, Y., Wang, Q., & Chen, J. (2018). Resolution of Intergeneric Relationships within the Early-Diverging Angiosperm Family Nymphaeaceae Based on Chloroplast Phylogenomics.
Taxonomy It was first published as the variety Nymphaea lutea var. pumila by Joachim Christian Timm in 1795. Later, it was elevated to the status of the separate species Nuphar pumila published by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1821.Candolle, Augustin Pyramus de. (1818). Regni vegetabilis systema naturale, sive Ordines, genera et species plantarum secundum methodi naturalis normas digestarum et descriptarum (Vol. 2, p. 61). sumptibus sociorum Treuttel et Würtz. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39511861 It is placed in the section Nuphar sect. Nuphar.USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2025. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=416169. Accessed 19 February 2025. Etymology The specific epithet pumila means small.A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin. (n.d.). Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.mobot.org/mobot/latindict/keyDetail.aspx?keyWord=pumilusLagenophora pumila. (n.d.). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/lagenophora-pumila/
Distribution Nuphar pumila is native to China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia,Nuphar pumila in Flora of China @ efloras.org. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2025, from http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=242000581 Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, France, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Poland.
In Europe, the typical subspecies Nuphar pumila subsp. pumila is present.
Conservation The IUCN conservation status is least concern (LC). However, it is threatened by hybridisation with Nuphar lutea,Arrigo, N., Bétrisey, S., Graf, L., Bilat, J., Gerber, E., & Kozlowski, G. (2016). Hybridization as a threat in climate relict Nuphar pumila (Nymphaeaceae). Biodiversity and Conservation, 25, 1863-1877. climate change,Alfred Buchholz (2023): Artenhilfsprogramm Kleine Teichrose Nuphar pumila in Bayern. - Unveröffentlichtes Gutachten im Auftrag von: Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt, 25 Seiten, Augsburg. pollution, and habitat destruction. It is classified as endangered in Switzerland,Keller, S. (2018). Ansiedlung der Kleinen Teichrose Nuphar pumila: Vergleich der Standortbedingungen in erfolgreichen und erfolglosen Ansiedlungsgewässern. In Bachelorarbeit Umweltingenieurwesen ZHAW Wädenswil IUNR, unveröffentlicht. vulnerable in France,MNHN & OFB [Ed]. 2003-2025. Sheet of Nuphar pumila (Timm) DC., 1821. Inventaire national du patrimoine naturel (INPN). Website: https://inpn.mnhn.fr/espece/cd_nom/109735 - January 31, 2025 and endangered in Poland.Dynowski, P., Herbich, J., Źróbek-Sokolnik, A., Dziedzic, J., & Kozłowski, J. (2016). A new stand and the current status of the Nuphar pumila population in Warminsko-Mazurskie province. Pol. J. Nat. Sci, 31, 587-598.
Ecology Habitat It occurs in lakes, ponds and slowly flowing rivers in nutrient-poor waters at depths of 0.5–3 m. Herbivory The leaf mine species Hydromyza livens feeds on Nuphar pumila leaves.Nuphar pumila – Plant Parasites of Europe. (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://bladmineerders.nl/host-plants/plantae/spermatopsida/angiosperma/nymphaeales/nymphaeaceae/nuphar/nuphar-pumila/
Common names Nuphar pumila is also known as least water lily or least yellow water-lily.
Uses It is cultivated as an ornamental plant.Nuphar pumila (NUPPU). (n.d.). EPPO Global Database. Retrieved January 31, 2025, from https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/NUPPU
References