NYMPHIACEZ. 
half immersed in deep pits, in an elevated obconical torus 
(f. 35. a.). 
1 Nezu‘mpium. Character the same as the tribe. 
Trise II. 
Nymeuze£ (D.C. syst. 2. p. 43. prod. 1. p. 114.). Car- 
pels many-seeded, inclosed within the torus, with the stigmas 
radiating upon the top of the berry-formed fruit (f. 36. d.). 
2 Evry are. Sepals petals and stamens adhering to the 
torus, a great way up, and therefore the fruit appears half infe- 
rior. 
3 Barcta‘ya. Sepals 5 distinct, absolutely hypogynous. 
Corolla seated upon the top of the fruit, tubular above, corolla- 
ceous, bearing the stamens on the inside of the tube, with the 
throat 8-10-lobed. 
4 Nympu#'a. Sepals inserted at the base of the torus. Pe- 
tals and stamens covering the torus, and adhering to it a 
great way up, and therefore the fruit appears as if it were half- 
inferior. 
5 NUPHAR. Sepals petals and stamens inserted at the base of 
the torus (f. 36. b.), and therefore the berry appears as if it were 
superior. 
Tribe I. 
NELUMBO NEE (a name applied to this tribe becayse it 
contains Nelimbium, which see.) D.C. syst. 2. p. 43. prod. 
Fe p- 113. Carpels many, distinct, and half immersed in the pro- 
undly honey-combed obconical, elevated torus (f. 35. a.), each 
ng a style (f. 35. e.), with a solitary seed in each carpel (f. 
` : 9), which is exarillate and destitute of albumen. 
. NELU MBIUM (latinized from Nelumbo, the Cingalese 
name of N. specidsum.) Juss. gen. 68. D.C. syst. 2. p. 43. 
prod. l. p. 113.—Nelfimbo, Tour. inst. 261. Geert. fruct. 1. 
P. 73. t. 19. 
hee Syst. Polydndria, Polyginia. Character of the genus 
N maane as that of the tribe. Herbs emulating the habit of 
leone on Flowers large, shewy, white, red or yellow. Both 
ta flowers rising above the surface of the water. 
> * SPECIO sum (Willd. spec. 
Na 1258. Var. a et B.) corolla 
Polypetalous ; anthers drawn out 
acyond the cells into a club-shaped 
«pPendage. Y.S. W. Native in 
` running streams and tranquil 
aters in the warmer parts of Asia, 
H formerly common in Egypt 
(Dene and Theop.), but now rare 
bar ( KY in Persia (Pers.), in Mala- 
wl eed.), in India (Burm.), in 
eyon (Herm.), in Java (herb De- 
md introduced into the Philippine 
FIG. 35. 
and China 
(Thunb.). Sims, 
Lam. ill. t. 453. 
Var. a. 
Delil. fl. ægyp. descrip. p. 164. t. 61. Ne- 
Geert. fruct. 1. p. 73.t.19. f. 2. Mirb. ann. 
.t. 34. Nelúmbium Asiáticum, Rich. ann. mus. 
f. 49 to 57. Cyamus mysticus, Sal. ann. bot. 2. 
yamus Nelimbo, Smith, exot. bot. 1. p. 59. t. 31, 32. 
e 
I. NELUMBIUM. à 123 
Nelúmbo Indica, Pers. Flowers very beautiful, smelling of 
anise, commonly rose-coloured, seldom white (f. 35.). 
Var. (3, Tamara (Rheed. mal. 11. p. 59. t.30.) outer stamens 
sterile, dilated at the top, winged, obcordate ; appendage rising 
from a notch at the apex. 2/.S.W. Native of Malabar. Tamara 
is the name of this plant in Malabar. , 
‘Trunk of the root horizontal, fleshy, white, sending ont many 
fibres from the under surface. Petioles long, rising beyond 
the surface of the water, scabrous with acute tubercles. Leaves 
large, 1 or 2 feet in diameter, exactly peltate in the centre, 
orbicular entire, glabrous, under surface palest, margins some- 
what waved. Peduncles longer than the petioles, erect, sca- 
brous. Flowers large, emulating Pednia and Papaver, white 
or red. Fruit resembling an instrument once used in play 
by the French, by the very antique name Lotos. (D.C.). It 
was known to the Greeks, and is said by Herodotus, Theo- 
phrastus, and others, to be a native of Egypt, but no modern 
traveller has observed it in that country. There can, how- 
ever, be no dwubt of its having actually existed there, either 
naturally or cultivated, since the terms in which it is described 
by those authors are too clear and decisive to be mistaken, and 
their accounts are confirmed by ancient Egyptian sculptures and 
mosaics, which are still preserved, and testify that from the ear- 
liest times it, as well as the proper Lotos, has obtained a religious 
reverence. It is remarkable that neither Herodotus nor Theo- 
phrastus, the most ancient writers by which it is described, have 
attributed any sacred character to it, but speak of it as only used 
as food by the Egyptians. Both root and seeds are esculent, sapid 
and wholesome. ‘They are accounted cooling and strengthening, 
and to be of service in extreme thirst, diarrhoea, tenesmus, 
vomiting, and too great internal heat. In China it is called Lien- 
wha, and the seeds, and slices of the hairy root, with the kernels 
of apricots and walnuts, and alternate layers of ice were fre- 
quently presented to the British Ambassador and his suite at 
breakfasts given by some of the principal Mandarins. The roots 
are laid up by the Chinese in salt and vinegar for the winter. 
Sir George Staunton remarks that the leaf besides its common 
uses, has, from its structure, growing entirely round the stalk, 
the advantage of defending the flower and fruit arising from its 
centre from contact with the water, which might injure them. 
He also remarks that the stem never fails to ascend in the water 
from whatever depth, unless in a case of sudden inundation, until 
it attains the surface, when its leaf expands, rests upon it, and 
often rises above it. Many varieties of the plant are distin- 
guished by the Chinese; one of them with pure-white flowers, 
and another having about an hundred petals white or rose-co- 
loured. From the root of the Nelumbo Sir George Staunton 
says the Egyptians are supposed to have prepared their Coloca- 
sia, but as the plant is no longer to be found wild in that country, 
from which circumstance some naturalists infer that it never was 
indigenous there, but cultivated by the inhabitants with extreme 
care. The ancient Romans made repeated efforts to raise it 
among them from seeds brought out of Egypt. Dr. Patrick 
Browne is of opinion that the ancients confounded two plants 
under the name of Lotos or E.gyptian-bean, and that under these 
titles they described the upper parts of the Neliéimbium and the 
roots of Caladium Colocasia, now commonly called Coccos in Ja- 
maica. Thunberg says that it is considered as a sacred plant in 
Japan, and pleasing to their deities, and that the images of their 
idols were often drawn sitting on its large leaves. Loureiro re- 
lates that it abounds in muddy marshes in India and China, and 
is cultivated in large handsome pots in the gardens and houses of 
the Mandarins. The Chinese have always held this plant in such 
high value, that at length they regarded it as sacred. The seeds 
are somewhat of the size and form of an acorn, and of a taste 
more delicate than that of almonds. The ponds in India and 
R 2 
