TAXONOMY NYMPHAEA LOTUS. 



195 



base, 1.6 cm. long by 0.64 cm. wide. Fourth leaf ovate, 1.6 cm. long by 0.95 cm. 

 wide, broadest and nearly truncate at base, tbe sides nearly parallel below, curving 

 in above the middle to the rounded apex. Fifth leaf cordate-ovate, with rounded apex 

 and lobes, 1.68 cm. long by 1.04 cm. wide, sinus 0.16 cm. deep (cf. Lubbock 1892). 

 The germinating tuber gives rise, all over its apical region, to a large number 

 of slender stolons about 2.5 cm. long and 0.08 to 0.16 cm. in diameter, with a lanc- 

 eolate, acute, translucent bract 0.6 to 1.2 cm. long on the basal portion, and an apical 

 center of vegetation, from which about three submerged leaves are first formed, vary- 

 ing greatly in size according to the supply of nourishment. The first leaf may have 

 a petiole 3.8 cm. long, bearing a filiform midrib 1.3 cm. long with a minute protuber- 

 ance on either side at base representing the lamina ; or the lamina may be expanded 

 as a linear terminal lobe with a shorter linear lobe on either side of the rounded 



FIG. 74. Early leaves of the Lotos group, from germinating tuber of N. devonieiisis Hort.: Is, lam- 

 ina and stipules of first submerged leaf; Us, lamina, !, stipules, of second submerged leaf ; 2/, 8/, 

 second and third floating leaves. I,amime natural size. Stipules enlarged. 



base. The second submerged leaf is deltoid, with rounded angles and broad, shallow, 

 rounded sinus. The third leaf is broadly deltoid, with deeper sinus. All three appear 

 at first of a reddish color, later becoming green ; their texture is very soft and thin, 

 and margins entire. The first floating leaves vary much in size according to food- 

 supply, but are entire, oval, deeply cordate, with rounded apex and lobes ; length : 

 breadth = 1.5: i (about) ; gradually leaves of a more circular outline are produced, 

 and when practically round the dentation appears, at first very faintly, slowly reaching 

 the adult form in the older leaves. 



Leaf of mature plant distinctly peltate (2 to 5 cm.), orbicular, 20 to 50 cm. in 

 diameter, subspinose-dentate and more or less wavy at margin, the teeth being sharp 

 and brown-tipped, situated on the crests of the vertical undulations of the margin, 

 1.3 to 5.0 cm. apart, with curved sinuses. Texture very firm and stiff by reason of 

 the large prominent veins of the under surface; primary veins about 9 on either side 



