nymphaea

‖prop. n. [ L., the water lily, Gr. &unr_;. ] (Bot.) A genus of aquatic plants having showy flowers (white, blue, pink, or yellow, often fragrant), including the white water lily and the Egyptia lotus. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Recent critics have endeavored to show that this genus should be called Castalia, and the name Nymphaea transferred to what is now known as Nuphar. [ 1913 Webster ]