Editing Nymphaeaceae (section)

==Description==
=== Vegetative characteristics ===
The Nymphaeaceae are annual or perennial,<ref name="Christenhusz et al., 2017">Christenhusz,&nbsp;M.&nbsp;J.&nbsp;M., Fay,&nbsp;M.&nbsp;F., Chase,&nbsp;M.&nbsp;W. (2017). [https://www.google.de/books/edition/Plants_of_the_World/LLo7DwAAQBAJ?hl=de&gbpv=1&dq=Barclaya%20flora%20of&pg=PA91&printsec=frontcover Plants of the World: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Vascular Plants.] p. 91. Vereinigtes Königreich: University of Chicago Press.</ref> aquatic, [[rhizomatous]] herbs.<ref name="Christenhusz et al., 2017" /><ref name="gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org">{{Cite web|title=Family: Nymphaeaceae (water-lily family): Go Botany|url=https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/family/nymphaeaceae/|access-date=2021-05-07|website=gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org}}</ref> The family is further characterized by scattered vascular bundles in the stems, and frequent presence of [[latex]], usually with distinct, stellate-branched [[sclereid]]s projecting into the air canals. Hairs are simple, usually producing [[mucilage]] (slime).{{Citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Leaves are alternate and spiral, opposite or occasionally whorled, simple, [[peltate]] or nearly so, entire to toothed or dissected, short to long [[Petiole (botany)|petiolate]], with blade submerged, floating or emergent, with palmate to pinnate venation.<ref name="gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org" /> [[Stipule]]s are either present or absent.<ref name="FNA">Nymphaeaceae in Flora of North America @ efloras.org. (n.d.). Retrieved September 5, 2024, from http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=10618</ref><ref name="Watson & Dallwitz">L. Watson, & M. J. Dallwitz. (n.d.). The families of flowering plants - Nymphaeaceae Salisb. Retrieved September 5, 2024, from https://www-archiv.fdm.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/delta/angio/www/nymphaea.htm</ref>

=== Generative characteristics ===
Flowers are solitary, bisexual, radial, with a long pedicel and usually floating or raised above the surface of the water, with girdling vascular bundles in [[Receptacle (botany)|receptacle]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ito|first=Motomi|date=1986|title=Studies in the floral morphology and anatomy of nymphaeales|journal=The Botanical Magazine Tokyo|volume=99|issue=2|pages=169–184|doi=10.1007/bf02488818|s2cid=2037133|issn=0006-808X}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Supaphon|first1=Preuttiporn|last2=Keawpiboon|first2=Chutima|last3=Preedanon|first3=Sita|last4=Phongpaichit|first4=Souwalak|last5=Rukachaisirikul|first5=Vatcharin|date=2018|title=Isolation and antimicrobial activities of fungi derived from Nymphaea lotus and Nymphaea stellata|journal=Mycoscience|volume=59|issue=5|pages=415–423|doi=10.1016/j.myc.2018.02.012|s2cid=89844294 |issn=1340-3540}}</ref> Some species are [[protogynous]] and primarily cross-pollinated, but because male and female stages overlap during the second day of flowering, and because it is self-compatible, self-fertilization is possible.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ervik|first1=F.|last2=Renner|first2=S.S.|last3=Johanson|first3=K.A.|date=1995|title=Breeding system and pollination of Nuphar luteum (L.) Smith (Nymphaeaceae) in Norway|journal=Flora|volume=190|issue=2|pages=109–113|doi=10.1016/s0367-2530(17)30639-4|bibcode=1995FMDFE.190..109E |issn=0367-2530}}</ref> Female and male parts of the flower are usually active at different times, to facilitate cross-pollination, although this is just one of several reproductive strategies used by these plants.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Wiersema|first=John H.|date=1988|title=Reproductive Biology of Nymphaea (Nymphaeaceae)|journal=Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden|volume=75|issue=3|pages=795–804|doi=10.2307/2399367|jstor=2399367|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/35833 }}</ref>

There are 4–12 [[sepal]]s, which are distinct to [[Connation|connate]], [[imbricate]], and often petallike. Petals lacking or 8 to numerous, inconspicuous to showy, often intergrading with [[stamen]]s. Stamens are 3 to numerous, the innermost sometimes represented by staminodes. [[Filament (botany)|Filaments]] are distinct, free or [[Adnation|adnate]] to petaloid staminodes, slender and well differentiated from anthers to [[leaf shape|laminar]] and poorly differentiated from anthers; pollen grains usually monosulcate or lacking apertures. [[Carpels]] are 3 to numerous, distinct or connate.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

The fruit is an aggregate of nuts, a berry, or an irregularly dehiscent fleshy spongy capsule.<ref name="gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org" /> Seeds are often arillate, more or less lacking [[endosperm]].