睡莲（睡莲科），属于世界温带和热带地区的6种淡水植物中的58种。多数睡莲物种的长茎上都有圆形的，刻有缺口的蜡状涂层叶子，长茎上有许多空气空间，漂浮在安静的淡水生境中。秸秆来自埋在泥中的厚实的，多肉的，蠕动的水下茎。艳丽的，芬芳的，孤独的花朵在附着于地下茎的长茎上或在水面之上生。每朵杯状花都有许多花瓣的螺旋状排列。
大多数种类的花有许多雄蕊（雄性生殖结构）。一些花只在早上或晚上开放，以吸引昆虫传粉者。水果通常是坚果状或浆果状。一些水果在水下成熟直到破裂或腐烂，然后种子漂浮或沉没;有些睡莲的叶子也被淹没了。该家族的所有成员都是多年生植物，除了Euryale属以外，Euryale是仅在亚洲发现的一年生或短寿命的多年生植物。
睡莲属构成了适当的睡莲或睡莲，共有46种。北美常见的白睡莲或池塘百合是睡莲。欧洲白睡莲是白花猪笼草。幼时和大香时，两个物种的叶子都带红色。白叶猪笼草的叶片有一个深而狭窄的缺口。睡莲的其他种类有粉红色，黄色，红色或蓝色的花；许多是杂种起源的。古代埃及艺术的莲花通常是蓝莲花（N. caerulea）。埃及莲花N.莲花有齿状的叶子和长茎，长出水面，以支撑在晚上盛开的白花，一直开放到中午。
The genus Nuphar, with about 10 species distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, includes the common yellow water lily, cow lily, or spatterdock (Nuphar advena) of eastern North America. The yellow water lily has submerged leaves that are thin and translucent and leathery floating leaves.
The largest water lilies are those of the tropical South American genus Victoria, comprising two species of giant water lilies. The leaf margins of both the Amazon, or royal, water lily (V. amazonica, formerly V. regia) and the Santa Cruz water lily (V. cruziana) have upturned edges, giving each thickly veined leaf the appearance of a large, shallow pan 60 to 180 cm (about 2 to 6 feet) across and accounting for its common name, water platter. The fragrant flowers of Victoria have 50 or more petals and are 18 to 46 cm (about 7 to 18 inches) wide. They open white toward evening and shade to pink or reddish two days later before they wither, to be replaced by a large berrylike fruit.
Water lilies provide food for fish and wildlife but sometimes cause drainage problems because of their rapid growth. Many varieties have been developed for ornamental use in garden pools and conservatories. Two aquatic families related to the water lilies are the water shields and the fanworts, making up the family Cabombaceae. Nymphaeaceae and Cabombaceae are members of the water lily order, Nymphaeales.
