Nymphaea are rhizomatous, submerged aquatic perennials with floating, rounded leaves and showy, sometimes fragrant, cup- or bowl-shaped flowers in a wide range of colours, held on or above the water and followed by submerged, berry-like fruits
Hardy Nymphaea are aquatic perennials with rounded floating leaves and showy flowers on or just above the water, with numerous narrow petals and conspicuous stamens, in white and shades of yellow, pink and red
'Pygmaea Helvola' is a miniature water-lily with dark, purple-blotched, rounded floating leaves to 12cm in length, and cupped, fragrant, sulphur-yellow flowers 5cm across, with orange stamens