12 The Floivering Plants of Western India. 



bated to the Konkan and Ghauts by P. d- G. is apparently very like 

 this, but larger and less hairy. 



Stephania. Sepals 6 to 10 in the male, 3 to 5 in the female, petals 

 3 to 5, ovary one, style 3 to 6 divided. 8. hernandifolia has peltate 

 triangular leaves, rounded at the angles, long petioled, pale below, 

 flowers minute yellowish, crowded in short umbels on a long axillary 

 stalk; drupe smooth, red. At Dapolf. The Konkan (Z>.). 



ORDER 6. NYMPH^EACEJE. Water Lilies. 



Aquatic plants with leaves usually floating, and often pel- 

 tate, sepals 3 to 6, petals as many, or numerous ; stamens many, 

 disk fleshy, surrounding or enveloping the 3 or more carpels ; 

 stigmas as many as the carpels. 



Here as in England the water lilie? can scarcely be mistaken for 

 anything else. 



1. NYMPH JSA. Sepals petals and stamens indefinite, all 

 inserted on the disc, which is confluent with the carpels, fila- 

 ments petaloid, fruit a spongy berry ripening under water. 



2. NELUMBIUM. Leaves well out of the water, peltate, 

 sepals soon falling off, petals and stamens in many series, 

 anthers with a clubbed appendage ; ovaries many, sunk in 

 a fleshy torus, which enlarges as the fruit ripens. 



1. NYMPH^IA. 



1. N. lotus. Leaves round, sharply sinuate or dentate, 

 flowers large, red or white, sepals ribbed, white inside, oblong, 

 petals the same shape, filaments broad at the base, stigmas 

 with clubbed appendages. 



This is the Egyptian lotus, as famous in the art and literature 

 of Egypt as the India-n lotus in that of India. In later days and 

 as regards one variety, "It was asserted that as a new star had 

 appeared in the sky, so a new flower had blossomed on the earth 

 at the moment of the death of Antinous. This was the lotus of a 

 peculiar red colour, which the people of Lower Egypt used to wear 

 in wreaths on his festival." J. A. Symonds. 



2. JV. stellata. Leaves entire or slightly waved, sepals 

 nerved but not ribbed, petals acute, anthers with long white 

 appendages, stigmas horned, flowers red, white, or blue, 

 smaller than the last. 



Both sorts are common in tanks throughout the warmer parts 

 of India, and are called Kamal. 



2. NELUMBIUM. 

 N. speciosum. Much larger than either of the two last ; 



