WILD, OR XATIVE FLOWERS. 6 1 



Many of the tribe, to which these plants belong, are natives of the 

 torrid zone, but our White ^Vater-Lilies {Nyniphaa odorata and hiberosa) 

 and the Yellow Pond-Lilies {Nuphar advena, Intea and Kalmiand) only 

 are able to support the cold winters of Canada. The depth of the 

 water in which they grow enables them to withstand the cold, the frost 

 rarely penetrating to their roots, which in the Nymphaeas are rough and 

 knotted, white and fleshy, and often as thick as a man's wrist. The 

 root-stock is horizontal, sending many fibrous slender rootlets into the 

 soft mud; the stems that support the leaves and blossoms are round, of 

 an olive-green, containing open pores filled with air, which cause them 

 to be buoyed up in the water. These air-cells may be examined 

 by cutting the stems across, when the beautiful arrangement of the 

 pores can be seen, and admired for the use they are, in buoying up the 

 stem, and allowing the flower-cup to float upon the surface of the water. 

 These air-cells are arranged with beautiful symmetry, so as to give 

 strength as well as lightness. 



The leaves of the Water-Lily are of a full-green colour, deeply 

 tinged wnth red to\varcs the fall of the year, so as to give a blood red 

 tinge to the water ; they are of a large size, round kidnej'-shaped, of 

 leathery texture, and highly-polished surface ; resisting the action of the 

 water as if coated with oil or varnish. Over these beds of Water-Lilies 

 hundreds of Dragon Flies of every colour — blue, green, scarlet and 

 bronze — may be seen like living gems, flirting their pearly-tinted wings 

 in all the enjoyment of their newly found existence ; possibly enjoying 

 the delicious aroma from the odourous lemon-scented flowers, over which 

 they sport so gaily. 



The flowers of the Water-Lily grow singly at the summit of the 

 round, smooth, fleshy scapes. Who that has ever floated upon one of 

 our calm inland lakes, on a warm July or August day, but has been 

 tempted, at the risk of upsetting the frail birch-bark canoe, or shallow 

 skiff, to put forth a hand to snatch one of those matchless ivory cups, 

 that rest in spotless purity upon the tranquil water, just rising and falling 

 with the movement of the stream ; or has gazed with wishful and 

 admiring eyes into the still, clear water, at the exquisite buds and half 

 unfolded blossoms that are springing upwards to the air and sun-light 



The hollow boat-shaped sepals of the calyx are four in number, of 

 a bright olive green, smooth and oily in texture. The flowers do not 

 expand fully until they reach the surface. The petals are numerous, 

 hollow (or concave), blunt, of a pure ivory white ; very fragrant, having 

 the rich odour of freshly-cut lemons ; they are set round the surface of 

 the ovary (or seed-vessel) in regular rows, one above the other, gradually 

 lessening in size, till they change, by imperceptible gradation, into the 



