Nymphaea ampla

Nymphaea ampla
In bloom in Guatemala
Botanical illustration

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Order: Nymphaeales
Family: Nymphaeaceae
Genus: Nymphaea
Subgenus: Nymphaea subg. Brachyceras
Species:
N. ampla
Binomial name
Nymphaea ampla
Synonyms
  • Castalia ampla Salisb.
  • Leuconymphaea ampla (Salisb.) Kuntze
  • Nymphaea ampla var. parviflora Griseb.
  • Nymphaea ampla var. plumieri Planch.
  • Nymphaea candolleana Lehm.
  • Nymphaea sinuata Salzm. ex Planch., not validly publ.

Nymphaea ampla, also known as the dotleaf waterlily, is a species of flowering plant in the family Nymphaeaceae. It is native to Texas, Florida, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern and western South America.

It is depicted in Mayan art alongside jaguars and kings, held cultural significance as a symbol of life, fertility, and birth, with its opiate-like effects used for calming and inducing mild trances.