Abstract
Native water lilies are wide spread in aquatic ecosystems in Sri Lanka and the RevisedHandbook to the Flora of Ceylon has recognized only two native water-lilies, Nymphaeanouchali Burm. f. and N. pubescens Willd. However, another night blooming Nymphaeaspecies with red flowers that is not either taxonomically described or recognized in the Floraduring the revision occurs in many parts of the country. A detailed taxonomic investigationwas carried out with field collected samples of all Nymphaea species occurring in local waterbodies. Forty eight morphological characters were studied in detail and coded into a datamatrix. Data were analysed using PAST software version 2.17.The multivariate analysis separated this group of Nymphaea from the other native Nymphaeaspecies as a separate phenetic group. Larger leaves (25-48 cm) with reddish purple abaxialand green adaxial surfaces, red petals and a larger number of stamens (62-103), and creamcolour stigmatic head are important characters that separates the group from its closeresemblance, N. pubescens. Comparing the morphological features of the individuals in thisphenetic group with taxonomic descriptions of N. rubra, confirmed their identity as N. rubra.A complete morphological description and an identification key to separate the differentNymphaea species occurring in Sri Lanka were constructed.
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