884 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



The daisy, primrose, violet darkly blue. 



And polyanthus of unnumbered dyes ; 



The yellow wallflower, stained with iron brown ; 



And lavish stock, that scents the garden round." 



Thomson's Spring. 



WATER LILY. 



NYMPH.EA. 



NYMPH^ACEiE. POLYANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 



Called also water-rose, water-can. — French, lis des etangs, [pond 

 lily], volet, plateau, jaunet d'eau [water yellow-flower]. — Italian, 

 nenufaro, ninfea, blefera. 



The Water-lilies cannot be grown but in a cistern of 

 water, which should be lined with lead ; and such plants 

 are only adapted for persons having even a superfluity 

 of garden ground. For such persons, they are very de- 

 sirable, for they are delicate and elegant plants : 



" Those virgin lilies, all the nigh t 

 Bathing their beauties in the lake. 

 That they may rise more fresh and bright 

 When their beloved sun's awake." 



Moore's Lalla Rookh. 



" And now the sharp keel of his little boat 

 Comes up with a ripple, and with easy float. 

 And glides into a bed of water lilies : 

 Broad-leaved are they, and their white canopies 

 Are upward turn'd to catch the heaven's dew. 

 Near to a little island's point they grew ; 

 Where Calidore might have the goodliest view 

 Of this sweet spot of earth." 



Keats. 



The Japanese set a high value upon the Water-lily, be- 

 cause of its purity, not being sullied by contact with the 



