An aquatic with bright yellow flowers and floating leaves.

4-5" wide; sepals 4, green; petals and stamens numerous; pistil 1, many-seeded.

3-5" wide, ovate, dark green with brown blotches above, reddish brown with dark dots below.

Aquatic; flowers about 4" above water.

Spring-Summer.

Quiet water of ditches and ponds.

The lovely flowers are open from midday to late afternoon. When the plants are crowded, the leavesmay rise above the water. The Plant was first discovered in Mexic, which accounts for the species name and one of its common names. The common name Banana Water Lily refers to the plant's clusters of twining roots, which resemble tiny bananas. this species is considered a noxious weed in Caliornia.