Dcfcnption of the Nymphaa dsrulea. 320 



cles, and particularly thofe of the firft fpecies, are plucked 

 xip after the hiundation : they arc ufcd as food ; they have an 

 infipid earthy tafte, and form a delicate difh. 



The leaves of both are large, pretty numerous, fub-orbi- 

 cular, divided into two lobes from their bafe to the place 

 where the petiole is infertcd ; that is to fay, nearly to the 

 middle of the difk. They are not fo thick as thofe of our 

 nenuphars in Europe : they have a darker green colour, and 

 a fLining appearance above; and below are often tinged with 

 purple or violet. Thefe leaves are fupported by radical cy- 

 iindric petioles, flightly comprefled and fometimes very lon^, 

 which float on the furface of the water. 



The flowers are very large^ and are often more than four 

 inches in diameter. Their pedicles, which arife from the 

 root, are uniflorous and differ very little from the petioles. 



The calyx of thefe flowers is compofed of eight leaves dif- 

 pofed in two rows, and coloured in tlie infide : the more in- 

 terior ones are ihe moft coloured, and have fome refeinhlance 

 to the petioles. 



The latter, from twelve to twenty in number, are alfu dif- 

 pofed in fevcral feries. 



The (lamina are of a yellow colour with large filaments 

 and pctaliform. 



The radii of the ftigma vary, for the moft part, in number 

 from twelve to twenty-five. They have the fame colour as 

 the (lamina, are comprefled and (lightly bent at the (ummit. 



Such is the common appearance'of the roots, the leaves, 

 and the flowers. Let us now examine the oiflerences they 

 exhibit. 



The leaves of the nympha:a lotus are bordered quite round 

 with very acute indentations, firn) and almoft like prickles : 

 their lobes, for the moft part, are exactly parallel and fome- 

 times even ; they converge, and mutually cover each other: 

 their inferior furface is charged with very prominent ribs 

 which form a very apparent reticulation : their petioles are 

 rough. 



On the other hand, thofe of the ■nymph^a ccerulca have 

 their edges fcarcely finuatcd ; their lobes are more pointed, 

 and conmionly divergent. The inferior furface exhibits ribs 

 fcarcely ftn(ii)le, the principal ones of which only are fome- 

 what prominent; the reft being concave and Ids elevated 

 than the dilk. The petioles of thefe leaves are exceedingly 

 rough. ~ 



In the nympho'a lotus the leaves are always more open. 

 The folioles of the calyx are oval, lanceolated/grtcuifh exter- 



nallv. 



