14 
*NELUMBIUM Caspieum. 
Caspian Nelumbium. 
POLYADELPHIA POLYGYNIA. 
Nat. ord. NELUMBIACEX. 
NELUMBIUM, Juss. Calyx tetrapentaphyllus, foliolis imo toro in- 
sertis, liberis, deciduis. Torus carnosus, obconicus, ovaria includens. Co- 
rollæ petala plurima, imo toro multiseriatim inserta, oblonga, patentia. 
Stamina plurima, imo toro pluriseriatim inserta, libera ; filimenta filiformia, 
supra antheras in appendiculam producta; antheræ introrsæ, biloculares, 
loculis linearibus, adnatis, longitudinaliter dehiscentibus. Ovaria plurima, 
libera, unilocularia, tori alveolis immersa. Ovula solitaria v. gemina, ex 
apice funiculi a basi loculi ad apicem adscendentis pendula. Styli breves, 
simplices; stigmate peltato. Nuces plurimee, monosperme, e tori aucti 
alveolis emergentes, libere. Semen inversum, exalbuminosum. Embryo 
crassus, intra pericarpium germinans.—Herbee in aquis Asie calidioris et 
Americz borealis vegetantes, Nymphearum facie ; rhizomate crasso, repente ; 
petiolis pedunculisque emersis teretibus, tuberculato-asperis, foliorum lamina 
centro peltata, orbiculata, penninervia, integerrima, glabra; floribus amplis, 
albis, roseis v. flavis, seminibus edulibus.—Endl. gen. no. 5026. . 
N. caspicum ; petalis obovatis obtusis magnitudine parum diversis, carpellis 9. 
Nelumbium caspicum, Fisch in DeCand. Syst. 2. 45. 
Nelumbium speciosum y, DeCand. l. c. 
The accompanying drawing was made in the nursery of 
Messrs. Rollissons-of Tooting, in August, 1843. We are 
happy to have an opportunity of publishing it, not only for its 
own sake, but because it affords an opportunity of pointing 
out the true distinction between the Caspian and Indian 
Nelumbia. 
According to M. DeCandolle all the Nelumbia found in 
various parts of Asia are varieties of one species, and this 
opinion is generally adopted. It is however difficult to believe 
that the deep red Nelumbium of India, with very sharp- 
pointed petals, such as is figured in the Botanical Magazine, 
t. 3916, and elsewhere, can be the same with the blunt- 
petalled white-flowered plant “found at the mouth of the 
Volga near Astrachan, in a part of the river called Tschulpan, 
amongst reeds intermixed with Nympheas and Trapa," which, 
* Dr. Carey considers this name to be derived from two Sanscrit words ; 
viz. Neel blue, and Umboja generated in water. Although we have not yet 
found a blue Nelumbium in these parts of Asia, yet it is said to be a native 
of both Cashmere and Persia. Roxburgh, 
