Nymphaea" sect. "Chamaenymphaea is a section within the subgenus "Nymphaea" subg. "Nymphaea" of the genus "Nymphaea" native to North America, Asia, and Europe.
Description.
Vegetative characteristics.
Its species have small, erect, cylindric, unbranched rhizomes lacking stolons. Both floating and submerged leaves are produced. The obovate to oval, glabrous, petiolate leaves with an entire margin have glabrous petioles with two primary air canals.
Generative characteristics.
The small, 3–7.5 cm wide, white or rosy, flowers have peduncles with 4 primary air canals. The sepals are green. The 8–17 petals are white. The filaments are widest above the middle of the filament. The gynoecium consists of 5–12 carpels. The fruit bears smooth, ovoid, 2–3 mm long, and 1.5–2 mm wide seeds.
Taxonomy.
It was first published as "Nymphaea" subsect. "Chamaenymphaea" Planch. by Jules Émile Planchon in 1853. It was then given a new status as "Nymphaea" sect. "Chamaenymphaea" (Planch.) Wiersema published by John Harry Wiersema in 1997. It is placed in the subgenus "Nymphaea" subg. "Nymphaea".
Distribution.
It occurs in North America, Asia, and Europe.
Fossil record.
The fossil species †"Nymphaea minuta" has been described as being very similar to "Nymphaea pygmaea" and "Nymphaea tetragona". It was speculated that it may represent an ancestral species of "Nymphaea pygmaea".