[3] The pink to purple, solitary flower with a terete,[2] 3–6 mm peduncle emerges up to 10–20 cm above water surface.

[1] It was transferred to the genus Nymphaea L. as Nymphaea ondinea Löhne, Wiersema & Borsch published by Cornelia Löhne, John Harry Wiersema, and Thomas Borsch in 2009.

[1][6] The type specimen was collected by W. Leutert North-East of Kalimburu, Kimberley district, Western Australia on the 15th of April 1968.

petaloidea is classified as a Priority 1: Poorly-known species under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.

[10][11] The attempts to grow Nymphaea ondinea have been met with low levels of success.