Least Water-lily, Yellow Pondlily, Ping peng cao
Nuphar pumila

Family: Nymphaeaceae

What it is like

A herb. It grows in water. The rhizomes or underground stems are stout and 1-3 cm across. The leaf stalk is 20-50 cm long. It is hairy. The leaf blade floats. It is broadly oval and 6-17 cm long by 6-12 cm wide. It can be hairy underneath. The base is heart shaped and the lobes are separated from each other. The flowers are 1-4.5 cm across. The fruit stalk is 40-50 cm long and hairy. The sepals ate yellow. The fruit is 1-2 cm across. The seeds are brown and oblong. They are 3-5 mm across.

There are about 10 Nuphar species.

Where it is found

It grows in lakes and ponds in both N and S China. It grows in wetlands.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Britain, China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia

How it is used for food

The young tender rhizomes are used as a potherb.

Edible parts

Leaves, root, seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ping peng cao

Synonyms

Nymphaea lutea L. var. pumila Timm.; Nuphar shimadae Hayata; Nuphar lutea subsp. pumila (Timm) Bonnier & Layens; Nymphaea pumila (Timm) Hoffmann; Nuphar microphylla Beal;