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No. 67. NYMPHEA. 45 



the inner ones shorter, oblong, obtuse, flat, or concave ; 

 stamina numerous, in several rows, with oblong petaloid 

 filaments, and yellow adnate twisted anthers, bilocular, 

 opening inside ; pistil formed by a torus or radiated re- 

 ceptacle, with twelve to twenty-four rays, which appear 

 to be as many stigmas : fruit singular, berry like, in- 

 closing as many polyspermous utricles as rays and 

 stigmas-* 



HISTORY. A beautiful genus of aquatic plants, and 

 this species is one of the handsomest, the flowers being 

 very large, three to four inches in diameter, and of a 

 delicious fragrance. It grows all over the United States, 

 trom New England to Louisiana, in ponds, ditches, 

 rivers, &c. It blossoms in summer ; the flowers shut at 

 night ; the seeds ripen under water. It is very orna- 

 mental, . both in its native and cultivated state. The 

 perfume is similar to Magnolia, and very fugacious j it 

 is destroyed by heat. The varieties are, \ . Parviflor^, 

 flowers much smaller. 2. Eubella, tinged with rose. 

 3. Chlorhiza, with yellow roots. The roots are fleshy 

 and as thick as the arm, but in drying they become sponsy 

 and friable. r &/ 



There are three other new species of Nymphea in 

 North America, which have similar properties. They 



1. Nymphea rosea. Raf. Leaves orbicular, split at the 

 base, lobes divaricate, acute, lower surface red, petals 

 rose coloured- In New York, Ohio, &c. with smaller 

 flowers, less odorous. 



9. Nymphea maculafa. Raf. Leaves orbiculate, sub- 

 undulate, dentate, base cordate, lobes obtuse, a brown 

 central spot on the leaves, petals white. In Canada and 

 New York, near Lake Ontario. Flowers nearly ino- 

 dorous, smaller, with many narrow oblong obtuse petals. 



3. Nymphea spiralis. Raf- {N alba, Mx*and N. odo- 

 rata, Elliot.) Leaves orbicular, emar^nate, base split, 

 colorate, lobes divaricate obtuse, petioles and scapes 

 spiral, calix four leaved, equal to the corolla. In the 

 Southern States. Flowers white, smell strong. 



PROPERTIES. Similar to those of N. alba of Eu^ 

 rope, but much more efficient and decided. The roots 

 are chiefly used, and are kept in shops in New England. 



