Nuphar japonica, known as East Asian yellow water-lily, is a perennial, aquatic, rhizomatous, herb in the family Nymphaeaceae native to Japan, Korea, and Russia.
Nuphar japonica is one of three species in the genus Nuphar that is dispersed in the same geographical location of the Saijo Basin, an area in the Hiroshima Prefecture of Japan.
Description Vegetative characteristics Nuphar japonica is a perennial,Nuphar japonica Japanese pond lily. (n.d.). Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/70319/wd/details aquatic, rhizomatous, herbNuphar japonicum Nénuphar du Japon. (n.d.). B-Aqua. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.b-aqua.com/pages/plantsfiche.aspx?id=1361 with 1–3 cm thick rhizomes.Wiart, C. (2021). Medicinal Plants in the Asia Pacific for Zoonotic Pandemics: Family Amborellaceae to Vitaceae. Volume 1. p. 8. Vereinigtes Königreich: CRC Press. The leaves are submerged, floating, or emerged. The leaf blade is 12–35 cm long, and 6–18 cm wide. The terete petiolePadgett, D. J. (2003). Phenetic studies in Nuphar Sm.(Nymphaeaceae): variation in sect. Nuphar. Plant Systematics and Evolution, 239, 187-197. is 3–10(–14) mm wide.Schou, J. C., Moeslund, B., Weyer, K. v. d., Wiegleb, G., Lansdown, R. V., Holm, P., Baastrup-Spohr, L., Sand-Jensen, K. (2023). Aquatic Plants of Northern and Central Europe Including Britain and Ireland. p. 77. USA: Princeton University Press. Generative characteristics The yellow to red, solitary, 4–5 cm wide flowers have a long, cylindrical peduncle. The flowers have five sepals and 10–18 petals.Wilstermann-Hildebrand, M. (n.d.). Nuphar - Mummeln oder Teichrosen. Heimbiotop. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://heimbiotop.de/nuphar.html The gynoecium consists of 15–16 carpels. The 2–3.5 cm long, and 1.6–2.3 cm wide, urceolate, green, long-necked fruit bears ovoid seeds.
Cytology The chromosome count is 2n = 34.Pellicer, J., Kelly, L. J., Magdalena, C., & Leitch, I. J. (2013). Insights into the dynamics of genome size and chromosome evolution in the early diverging angiosperm lineage Nymphaeales (water lilies). Genome, 56(8), 437-449.
Taxonomy It was 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. 62). sumptibus sociorum Treuttel et Würtz. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39511900 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=105025. Accessed 1 February 2025. Natural hybrids Nuphar × saijoensis (Shimoda) Padgett is a natural hybrid between Nuphar japonica and Nuphar pumila.Nuphar × saijoensis (Shimoda) Padgett & Shimoda. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77089495-1 Etymology The specific epithet japonica means of Japan.Aucuba japonica. (n.d.). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/aucuba-japonica/Fatsia japonica. (n.d.). Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=276608
Phytochemistry N. japonica contains the alkaloids nupharidin, 1-desoxynupharidin, nupharamine, methyl and ethyl esters of nupharamine. The fruits also contains the alkaloids (0.06%) nupharine, beta-nupharidin, desoxynupharidin. In the rhizomes are found the steroid sitosterol, alkaloids acids, higher fatty acids (palmitic, oleic acid) and the ellagitanins nupharin A, B,Tannins and Related Compounds. LXXV. : Isolation and Characterization of Novel Diastereoisomeric Ellagitannins, Nupharins A and B, and Their Homologues from Nuphar japonicum DC. Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 25 January 1989, volume 37, issue 1, pages 129-134 (abstract) C, D, E and F.Tannins and Related Compounds. LXXIX. Isolation and Characterization of Novel Dimeric and Trimeric Hydrolyzable Tannins, Nuphrins C, D, E and F, from Nuphar japonicum DC. Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 25 June 1989, volume 37, issue 7, pages 1735-1743 (abstract)
Ecology Habitat It occurs in lakes, ponds, and streams.
Use It is grown as an ornamental plant in aquaria,Nuphar japonica - Japanische Teichrose. (n.d.). Flowgrow. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.flowgrow.de/db/wasserpflanzen/nuphar-japonicaDie Japanische Teichrose - Nuphar japonica. (2020, November 16). Aquarium Ratgeber. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.aquarium-ratgeber.com/aquarienpflanzen/pflanzen-vz/wpflanzen/teichrose-japanische/Breukel, H. (n.d.). Nuphar japonica DC. - Japanische Teichrose. Seerosenforum.de Das Portal Der Seerose. Retrieved February 1, 2025, from https://www.seerosenforum.de/Gattung/Nuphar/NupharJaponica/NupharJaponica.aspx as well as in ponds.
See also List of freshwater aquarium plant species List of the vascular plants in the Red Data Book of Russia
References