YELLOW WATER LILY 75 



Can-leaves, Flatter-dock, Water Lily, Nenuphar, Water Bells, Water 

 Blob, Water-can, Water Socks, Water Rose. In reference to the name 

 Candock it is called Water-can at Tamworth in allusion to the half- 

 unfolded leaves floating on the water, which are thought to resemble 

 cans. The leaf surface close to the stalks is raised, and the surface is 

 generally convex, so that raindrops collecting run off at the margin, 

 especially as the surface is waxy, which assists transpiration. The 

 underside is purple, due to the presence of anthocyan, which turns the 

 light rays into heat. 



The flowers of the White Water Lily are very beautiful, and the 

 petals being numerous are apparently double, and sweet-smelling. 

 They open at seven o'clock in the morning, and close again, when 

 they lie on the surface, about 4 p.m., or relatively later in each case. 



The roots are astringent, and have been used in Ireland and Scot- 

 land as a dye, dark-brown or chestnut in colour. Both flowers and 

 root were once used medicinally, but are not now employed. All 

 animals except pigs refuse it as food. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



17 Castalia alba, Wood. Leaves orbicular, 2-lobed, entire, flower 

 white, floating, rising above the surface, sepals 4, adnate, green at 

 back, petals numerous, stigma yellow, stigmatic rays 15-20, fruit a 

 berry, globose, 



Yellow Water Lily (Nymphaea lutea, L.) 



Fruits of the Yellow Water Lily are known from deposits of Pre- 

 glacial, Interglacial, Neolithic, and Postglacial age. The Warm Tem- 

 perate Zone is the limit of its distribution in Europe, Temperate Asia, 

 and North America. It is absent from E. Cornwall, N. Devon, Isle 

 of Wight, Radnor, Montgomery, Mid Lanes, Isle of Man, Peebles, 

 Selkirk, Linlithgow, Stirling, Banff, Easterness, Westerness, Cantire, 

 Mid and E. Ebudes, in W. Ross, E. Sutherland. It is found at 

 1000 ft. in Yorks, and occurs in Ireland. 



In most parts of the British Isles the Yellow Water Lily graces 

 most pools and wide stretches of open still water. It is entirely aquatic 

 and so a Hydrophyte, associated with Pondweeds, Arrowhead, Flower- 

 ing Rush, and numerous other common water plants, such as Amphibious 

 Knotgrass, Great Yellow Cress, and Water Crowfoot. Its broad leaves 

 afford a resting-place in many a secluded pool for minute shell-fish, and 

 shade the fish from the rays of the sun. They are of two kinds, one 

 floating and thick, the other submerged and membranous. 



