In 1888, Surgeon Major David Douglas Cunningham MD (1843–1914,[4] who was the Special assistant to the Sanitary Commissioner with the Government of India), was also the mycologist who originally found and described the fungus (both the genus and single species).

[9][11] The sori form ovoid or irregular shaped spots,[10] about 1–7 mm long and they become larger by cell fusion.

The teliospores (thick-walled resting spores) are formed individually and are usually lemon-shaped, hyaline or pale yellow,[9][12] and smooth or finely verruculose (have a surface covered with tiny wart-like protuberances).

[8][11] They are produced subterminally, beaked, promycelium consisting of a long germinal tube with terminal branches bearing apical sporida.

[10][17] Rhamphospora nymphaeae causes necrotic stem and leaf spots on members of the Nymphaeaceae family in freshwater habitats.