Lirio Acuatico

Description:

Nymphaeaceae ( /ˌnɪmfiːˈeɪʃiː/ or /ˌnɪmfiːˈeɪsi.iː/) is a family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called water lilies and live in freshwater areas in temperate and tropical climates around the world. The family contains eight genera. There are about 70 species of water lilies around the world.[1] The genus Nymphaea contains about 35 species across the Northern Hemisphere.[1] The genus Victoria contains two species of giant water lilies and can be found in South America.[1] Water lilies are rooted in soil in bodies of water, with leaves and flowers floating on the water surface. The leaves are round, with a radial notch in Nymphaea and Nuphar, but fully circular in Victoria. Water lilies are divided into two main categories: hardy and tropical. Hardy water lilies bloom only during the day, but tropical water lilies can bloom either during the day or at night, and are the only group to contain blue-flowered plants

Habitat:

The fragrant water lily is a floating-leaved aquatic perennial herb that grows rooted in mucky or silty sediments in water up to six to seven feet deep. It prefers quiet waters such as ponds, lake margins, and slow streams and will grow in acid or alkaline waters. When unmanaged, it tends to form dense monospecific stands that can cover hundreds of acres and can persist until senescence in the fall. Beaver, moose, muskrat, porcupine, and deer eat water lily leaves and roots and waterfowl eat the seeds. Water lilies also provide excellent cover for largemouth bass, sunfish, and frogs. However, when allowed to grow in dense stands, the floating leaves prevent wind mixing and extensive areas of low oxygen can develop under water lily beds during the summer. When managed to form a patchy distribution interspersed with open water, water lilies can provide excellent habitat.

Notes:

ocalized control (in swimming areas and around docks) can be achieved by covering the sediment with a opaque fabric which blocks light from the plants (bottom screening). However, it is sometimes very difficult to place and secure the fabric to densely packed, tough, fleshy water lily rhizomes. Several lake residents have reported success in eliminating water lilies from waterfront lots by the process of carbohydrate depletion. During each growing season, residents faithfully removed all emerging leaves. They reported that it took about two to three seasons to kill the plants. Managers of reservoirs and some lake systems may have the ability to lower the water level as a method of managing aquatic plants. Response of the fragrant water lily to water level drawdown has been variable.