Nuphar ozarkana is a species of aquatic plant native to the US-American states Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Description Vegetative characteristics Nuphar ozarkana is an aquatic species with a slender rhizome. The leaves mostly float, but they can also be erect. The petiolate, orbicular to oblong, smooth, glabrous, yellowish green leaves are 12-20 cm long, and 7-19 cm wide. The terete, glabrous petioles are 3-11 mm wide.Miller, G. S., & Standley, P. C. (1912). The North American species of Nymphaea. Contributions From the United States National Herbarium, 16, 63–108. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/371928&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004 Generative characteristics The pedunculate, yellow, 30 mm wide flowers have stout, glabrous peduncles. The thin, glabrous sepals are green, but display yellow colouration towards the apex. The smooth, subglobose, 15-25 mm long, and 14-20 mm wide fruit bears 15-30 ovoid, shiny, pale brown 5 mm long, and 3.5 mm wide seeds. The flowers are not fragrant.
Reproduction Generative reproduction This species has an outstandingly low number of seeds per fruit.
Taxonomy Publication It was first described as Nymphaea ozarkana G.S.Mill. & Standl. by Gerrit Smith Miller Jr. and Paul Carpenter Standley in 1912. Later, it was included in the genus Nuphar Sm. as Nuphar ozarkana (G.S.Mill. & Standl.) Standl. published by Paul Carpenter Standley in 1931.
Type specimen The type specimen was collected by Otto M. Smith along White River in Southern Missouri in August 1910.
Etymology The specific epithet ozarkana references the Ozarks region.Harris, R. C., & Ladd, D. (2007). "New taxa of lichens and lichenicolous fungi from the Ozark Ecoregion." Opuscula Philolichenum, 4, 57-68.
Ecology Pollination
It is pollinated by Lasioglossum nelumbonis, Lasioglossum bruneri, and Augochlora pura, which together make up 97% of all floral visitors.Lippok, B., Gardine, A. A., Williamson, P. S., & Renner, S. S. (2000). "Pollination by flies, bees, and beetles of Nuphar ozarkana and N. advena (Nymphaeaceae)." American Journal of Botany, 87(6), 898-902.
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