100 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
pure white, and N. Lotus rubra, pink. Nymphaea Devoni- 
ensis has the distinction of being the first hybrid among 
the lotus type, it being produced at the famous aquatic 
gardens of Chatsworth, England. 
The work of originating new hybrids has been carried out 
extensively in this country where climatic conditions are 
far superior to those of England. Some excellent hybrids 
have originated in St. Louis through the efforts of Mr. James 
Gurney, such as “Frank Trelease,” “D. R. Francis,” “Rufus 
J. Lackland,” and “James Gurney,” the latter being the 
darkest of all water-lilies. The flowers are seen at their best 
before eight o’clock in the morning or after seven in the 
evening, for just as soon as the sun foes to shine brightly 
they close their petals. However, during cloudy weather 
the petals remain open day and night. 
Such plants are grown as perennials. In the fall during 
October they are dug from the ponds, leaving a small ball 
of mud attached to the roots. They are then placed in the 
greenhouse to “dry off,” a temperature of 50°F. being main- 
tained. When well-dried the clumps are cleaned, care being 
taken to retain the small tubers which are attached to the 
dried-up tuber. They are then placed in dry sand until the 
end of February or March, when they are potted and placed 
in tanks of water at a temperature of 70-75°F. In May they 
are transplanted into the permanent ponds outside. 
Nymphacas (Day-Blooming).—The day-blooming lilies 
open their petals full in the bright morning sun and keep 
them open until afternoon—quite the reverse of the lotus 
type. They are also more tender plants and produce smaller 
and less showy flowers. This type has many blue varieties. 
Nymphaea gigantea, a native of Australia, is a light blue lily 
and though large is the most tender of the nymphaeas. Seeds 
of this species were obtained during the winter and up- 
wards of a dozen plants of the varieties “Sturtevanti” and 
“Hudsoni” were raised. These may be seen in the Linnean 
House Pools. Nymphaea coerulea is another light blue 
lily. This variety is a native of Egypt and is supposed 
to be one of the true water-lilies of the ancient Egyptians. 
Nymphaea zanzibariensis and its variety rosea, natives of 
Africa, are the commonest of the day-blooming lilies, the 
former being the royal purple and the latter the pink variety. 
These two varieties readily intercross, producing both dark 
blues and reds. Nymphaea gracilis, a white day-blooming 
lily and a native of Mexico, intercrosses with the zanzibar- 
iensis producing medium-sized, stellate flowers which 
frequently rise two feet above the water. Several experi- 
