''Nuphar microphylla'' is a perennial, rhizomatous, aquatic''Nuphar microphylla'' (Pers.) Fernald. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn%3Alsid%3Aipni.org%3Anames%3A171086-2 herb found in North America. It is listed as a special concern and believed extirpated in

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

Description

Vegetative characteristics

''Nuphar microphylla'' is a perennial,Wisconsin State Herbarium, UW-Madison. (n.d.). ''Nuphar microphylla'' (Pers.) Fernald. Flora of Wisconsin. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://wisflora.herbarium.wisc.edu/taxa/index.php?taxon=4338 rhizomatous, aquatic herb with 1–2 cm wide rhizomes.''Nuphar microphylla'' in Flora of North America @ efloras.org. (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2025, from http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500815 The ovate to broadly elliptic, 3.5–10(–13) cm long, and 3.5–7.5(–8.5) cm wide floating leaves have a deep sinus. The abaxial leaf surface is often purple.Perron, M. (n.d.). Small yellow pond-lily ''Nuphar microphylla'' Petit nénuphar jaune. Flore Du Québec. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from http://floreduquebec.ca/english/nuphar%20microphyllaPA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. (n.d.). ''Nuphar microphylla'' Yellow Cowlily. Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP). Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/factsheet.aspx?=14187 The leaf venation is pinnate.Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife. (2015). Tiny Cow-lily ''Nuphar microphylla'' (Pers.) Fern. In Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://www.mass.gov/doc/tiny-cow-lily/download

Generative characteristics

The small, yellow to green, 1–2 cm wide flowers float on the water surface. The red stigmatic disks are 2.5–7 mm wide.

Cytology

The chromosome count is 2n = 34.

Taxonomy

It was first published as ''Nymphaea microphylla'' by

Christiaan Hendrik Persoon Christiaan Hendrik Persoon (31 December 1761 – 16 November 1836) was a Cape Colony mycologist who is recognized as one of the founders of mycology, mycological Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy. Early life Persoon was born in Cape Colony at ...

in 1806.Persoon, C. H. (1805). Synopsis plantarum,seu Enchiridium botanicum, complectens enumerationem systematicam specierum hucusque cognitarum (Vol. 2, p. 63). C.F. Cramerum. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/235397''Nymphaea microphylla'' Pers. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/605628-1 It was placed into the genus ''Nuphar'' as ''Nuphar microphylla'' published by

Merritt Lyndon Fernald Merritt Lyndon Fernald (October 5, 1873 – September 22, 1950) was an American botanist. He was a respected scholar of the Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy and phytogeography of the vascular plant flora of temperate eastern North America. During his ...

in 1917.Fernald, Merritt Lyndon. (1917). A Diagnostic Character of ''Nuphar microphyllum''. Rhodora, 19, 111--111. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/188288 It is placed in the section ''Nuphar'' sect. ''Nuphar''.''Nuphar microphylla'' (Persoon) Fernald. (n.d.). Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN). Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://data.canadensys.net/vascan/taxon/6713 It is a parent species of the natural hybrid ''Nuphar'' × ''rubrodisca''

Etymology

The specific epithet ''microphylla'' means small-leaved.''Pilea microphylla''. (n.d.). Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=b614

Ecology

Habitat

It occurs in ponds, marshes, and lakes.University of Michigan Herbarium. (n.d.). ''Nuphar microphylla'' (Pers.) Fernald. Michigan Flora. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://michiganflora.net/record/1727

Conservation

It is endangered in the US-american states Pennsylvania, Michigan, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.Native Plant Trust. (n.d.). ''Nuphar microphylla'' — small-leaved pond-lily. Native Plant Trust Go Botany. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/nuphar/microphylla/ It is susceptible to pollution,Michigan State University. (n.d.). ''Nuphar microphylla'' (Small yellow pond lily). Michigan Natural Features Inventory. Retrieved January 30, 2025, from https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/species/description/14438/Nuphar-microphylla e.g., by herbicides meant to combat invasive weeds. It is also threatened by invasive plants.

References

Flora of Northern America Flora of Canada Flora of the United States microphylla {{angiosperm-stub