PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
 
   
 
Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

Small Yellow Pond Lily (Nuphar microphylla)

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Photo by Robert Bierman

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Small Yellow Pond Lily (Nuphar microphylla), a Wisconsin Special Concern plant, is found in slow-moving waters. Blooming occurs from June through August, fruiting August through September. The optimal identification period for this species is June through August.

Nuphar lutea ssp. pumila, Nuphar minima, Nuphar pumila

 
 
 

Small yellow pond lily is an aquatic forb/herb with a single flower 1.5-2cm wide that is green to yellow with a distinctive red stigmatic ring. Its fleshy fruit is yellow to brown to purple and flask-shaped, 1-2cm long with a smooth base and slightly ribbed near the apex. The upper side of the petioles of both submersed and floating leaves are flattened. Floating leaves are ovate to broadly elliptic and 5-10cm long, with the sinus over half as long as the midvein and the divergent lobes form a V-shaped angle.

It is easily distinguished from other Nuphar species by its red stigmatic disk.

Rhizomatous. Blooming occurs from June through August, fruiting August through September.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is June through August.

Small yellow pond lily is found in slow-moving waters.

Avoid known individual plant locations and conduct operations elsewhere when they are least likely to cause damage. Ideally, this would involve frozen, snow-covered ground. However, in areas of the state where frozen conditions are unreliable, very dry soils late in the growing season might be the best available alternative. Consult with a biologist, if needed.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.