NYMPILEA ODORATA. 
Sweet scented Water lily. 
PLATE LV. 
Te common Water lily, of North America, 
very much resembles that of Europe in its 
external form, but differs remarkably in the fine 
fragrance of its flowers, those of the old continent 
being nearly destitute of odour. It belongs to 
avery beautiful tribe of aquatic plants, a great 
part of which are natives of the torrid zone. 
Those species which support the cold of our 
northern latitudes, are enabled to do so only by 
the depth of water, under which it is their habit 
to vegetate. Nature has provided a sort of spon- 
taneous hotbed for these plants, by placing their 
roots at such a depth from the surface of the 
element in which they grow, that the frost, which 
would otherwise prove fatal, does not reach them 
at the coldest season. 
