Recommendations for a small leafed lotus/lily . . .

[waterlily_fan]

I don't think Rubra is a legitimate species name

​

That's not correct. There is Nymphaea rubra Roxb. ex Andrews native to the region stretching from Sri Lanka to northeastern India, extending all the way to western and central Malesia.[1]

[1] Nymphaea rubra Roxb. ex Andrews | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2023, from Nymphaea rubra Roxb. ex Andrews | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science