Plants of South Eastern New South Wales
Ottelia ovalifolia subsp. ovalifolia
Common name
Swamp lily
Family
Hydrocharitaceae
Where found
Stationary and slowly flowing fresh water to 1m deep. Coast, ranges, tablelands, and the ACT. Occasionally elsewhere.
Notes
Perennial or annual herb. Leaves basal, stalksup to 1.2 m long, reddish, winged at the base, cylindrical to plano-convex in cross section near the top, hairless. Floating leaves oval, 2-16 cm long, 30-60 mm wide, mid-green, margins entire, tips blunt. Juvenile leaves submerged and strap-like, 5-15 cm long. Flowers about 50 mm to 60 mm in diameter, with 3 creamy white or pale pink petals with a dark red base. Submerged flowers that self-pollinate without opening also occur. Flowers during the warmer months.
All native plants on unleased land in the ACT are protected.
PlantNET description: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Ottelia~ovalifolia (accessed 29 January, 2021)
This identification key and fact sheets are available as a free mobile application:
