126 



NYMPHIACEJE. IV. NYMPHJEA. 



as well as the roots. The ancients record the sinking of the 

 flower under water at night. It is conceived that this flower 

 became sacred to superstitious veneration in Egypt in conse- 

 quence of its resemblance to the true East Indian Lotos or Ne- 

 lumbo ; the latter, from its mode of vegetation, was adopted in the 

 most remote ages to serve as an emblem of fertility. It seems 

 therefore a sort of substitute or type, and strengthens the theory 

 of the mythology of Egypt having migrated thither from India. 

 The Nelumbo was brought to Egypt, but has never perpetuated 

 itself there to any great extent. 



Egyptian Lotos. Fl. June, Sep. Clt. 1802. PI. flt. 



12 N. THERMA'LIS (D. C. syst. 2. p. 54.) leaves peltate, 

 sharply-toothed, glabrous on both surfaces ; auricles approxi- 

 mate. "H. . S. W. Native of Croatia in the hot river called 

 Pecze, in water 19-28 degrees of Reaum. Therm, not far from 

 Varasdin. N. Lotus, Wald. et Kit. hung. 1. p. 13. t. 15.? 

 Sims, bot. mag. t. 792. Castalia mystica, Sal. parad. no. 14. 

 Flowers white, having a somewhat vinous odour. 



Hot-water Water Lily. Fl. in its native country from the end 

 of April ; in England from June to Sept. Clt. 1802. PI. flt. 



13 N. A'MPLA (D. C. syst. 2. p. 54.) leaves peltate, sharply- 

 toothed, quite glabrous on both surfaces, with the nerves on the 

 under surface very prominent. Tf. . S. W. Native of Jamaica, 

 St. Domingo, Gulph of Mexico about Vera Cruz, Guiana, &c. in 

 tranquil water. Castalia ampla, Sal. ann. bot. 2. p. 73. par. no. 

 14. N. Lotus, Aubl. guian. 1. p. 533. Flowers white. 



Var. j3, Rudgeana (Meyer, prim, esseq. p. 198.) This plant 

 is distinguished from N. Lotus by the leaves being minutely tu- 

 bercled on the upper surface. 



Ample-leaved Water Lily. Fl. June, Sept. Clt. ? PI. flt. 



14 N. VERSI'COLOR (Roxb. hort. beng. p. 41.) leaves peltate, 

 with the margin and between the recesses sinuately-toothed, full 

 of pustules, glabrous on both surfaces. If, . S. W. Native of 

 Bengal in tranquil water. Sims, bot. mag. 1189. Flowers white, 

 changing to red, and several of the outer petals are green, and 

 furrowed on the back with green lines. This plant is multiplied 

 by the tubers, which hang by a thread from the main root, which 

 are about the size of a nut, and fall off from the mother plant 

 with the fading of the leaves. 



Party-coloured Water Lily. Fl. in England from July to Sept. 

 in Bengal throughout the year. Clt. 1807. PI. flt. 



SECT. III. CASTA'LIA (Castalia, a fountain in Asia in the sub- 

 urbs of Daphne.) D. C. syst. 2. p. 55. prod. l.p. 115. Anthers 

 not drawn out at the apex. Flowers white. Leaves cordate, 

 not peltate, glabrous, quite entire. 



15 N. RENIFO'RMIS (Walt. fl. carol. 155.) leaves kidney- 

 shaped, stigmas 16-rayed. I/. G. W. Native of Carolina. 

 Nelumbium reniforme, Willd. spec. 2. p. 1260. Cyamus reni- 

 forrnis, Pursh. fl. amer. sept. 2. p. 398. Deless. icon. sel. 2. t. 

 5. Flowers white, a little larger than those of N. Alba ; anthers 

 yellow, as in the rest of this section. 



Kidney-shaped-leaved. Water Lily. Fl. July. Clt. 1823. PI. flt. 



16 N. A'LBA (Lin. spec. 729.) leaves cordate, quite entire; 

 stigmas 16-rayed ; rays ascending. l/.H. W. Native through- 

 out Europe in ditches, lakes, and rivers ; plentiful in Britain. 

 Smith engl. bot. 160. Fl. dan. 602. Schkuhr. handb. 2. 1. 142, &c. 

 Castalia speciosa, Sal. ann. bot. 2. p. 72. Seeds horizontal or 

 deflexed ; obovate, red. According to Linnaeus, the flowers of 

 this plant raise themselves out of the water, and expand about 

 7 o'clock in the morning, and close again, reposing upon the 

 surface of the water, about 4 o'clock in the evening. The roots 

 have a bitter astringent taste ; they are used in Ireland, in the 

 highlands of Scotland, and in the island of Jura, &c. to dye a dark 

 brown or chesnut colour. Swine are said to eat it ; kine and 

 horses to refuse it. The flower, herb, and roots were formerly 



used in medicine, but are now become obsolete. It was reputed 

 by the ancients as an antiphrodisiac, and as a remedy in dysen- 

 tery, and some other morbid discharges ; to the latter purpose 

 its astringency might in some instances make it well suited. 



Var. ft, minor (Besl. hort. eyst. vern. ord. VII. t. 3. f. 1. 

 Weim. phyt. 3. p. 456. t. 761. f. c.) 1f..H. W. Native of 

 Alsace near Argentina ; in Baden near Linkenheim, and Moscow 

 near Gorenki. Every part of this plant is smaller than in the 

 species. 



Common White Water Lily. Fl. June, July. Britain. PI. flt. 



17 N. ODORA TA (Ait. hort. kew. ed. 1. vol. 2. p. 227. ed. 2. 

 vol. 3. p. 292.) leaves cordate, quite entire, with the nerves and 

 veins on the under surface very prominent ; stigmas 1 6-20-rayed ; 

 rays erect, inflexed at the top. I/ . H. W. Native of North 

 America from Canada to Carolina ; about Philadelphia at Glo- 

 cester Point and in New Jersey ; abundant about Quebec ; in deep 

 ditches and slow running rivers. Sims, bot. mag. t. 819. Andr. 

 bot. rep. t. 297. Bigel. amer. med. bot. t. 55. N. alba, Walt. fl. 

 carol. 155. This plant is very like N. alba, and has by many 

 authors been confounded with it, but it is truly distinct. Flowers 

 white, tinged with red, sweet-scented, expanding in the morning, 

 but closing after meridian. The roots of this plant are amongst 

 the strongest astringents of North America. When fresh, if 

 chewed in the mouth, they are extremely stiptic and bitter. 

 Their decoction instantly strikes a jet black colour with sulphate 

 of iron, and yields a dense white precipitate to a solution of 

 gelatin. Tannin and gallic acid are to be considered its most 

 characteristic ingredients. The roots of this plant are kept by 

 most of the apothecaries in North America, and are much used 

 by the common people in the composition of poultices. They 

 are no doubt often injudiciously applied to suppurate tumors, 

 since their astringency must be rather a discutient than a promo- 

 tive of suppuration. They are occasionally used by physicians 

 in cases where astringent applications are requisite, and answer a 

 purpose somewhat analogous to that of lead poultices and alum 

 curds. The whole of the genus possess the same qualities. 



Sweet-scented Water Lily. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1786. PI. flt. 



18 N. MI'NOR (D. C. syst. 2. p. 58.) leaves cordate, quite en- 

 tire, with the nerves and veins very prominent on the under sur- 

 face ; peduncles and petioles rather purplish and rather pilose ; 

 stigmas 1 6-20-rayed. "if.. H. W. Native of North America 

 about New York and in Canada. N. odorata ft minor, Sims, bot. 

 mag. t. 1 652. ft, r6sea, Pursh, fl. bor. amer. 2. p. 368. Flowers 

 white, smaller than those of N. odorata, rose-coloured on the 

 outside. 



,SW/er-flowered Water Lily. Fl. July. Clt. 1812. PI. flt. 



19 N. NI'TIDA (Sims, bot. mag. t. 1359.) leaves cordate, quite 

 entire ; nerves not prominent on the under surface ; petioles 

 smooth; petals blunt ; stigmas 12-20-rayed. 2/.H. W. Na- 

 tive of Siberia in lakes and in the river Lena, and in Dauria in 

 still water. N. odorata, Willd. hort. berl. t. 39. Like N. 

 odorata and N. alba. Root perpendicular. Flowers white, 

 scentless, a little smaller than those of the above named species. 

 Stamens yellow. 



Shining-leaved Water Lily. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1809. PI. flt. 



20 N. PYGM^E A (Ait. hort. kew. ed. 2. vol. 3. p. 293.) leaves 

 cordate, quite entire ; nerves not prominent ; petioles smooth ; 

 petals acute; stigmas 8-rayed. If.. H. W. Native of China 

 and eastern Siberia. Sims, bot. mag. 1525. Castalia pygmae'a, 

 Sal. parad. t. 68. Flowers white, smelling like those of Polian- 

 thus tuberbsus. A small plant. Torus greenish-yellow. 



Pygmy Water Lily. Fl. June, Sep. Clt. 1805. PI. flt. 



21 N. BLA'NDA (Meyer prim. fl. esseq. p. 201.) leaves cordate, 

 quite entire, with the nerves on the under surface channelled ; 

 petals 16, acuminated. If.. S. W. Native of Essequibo, in 

 stagnant and slow running water. N. glandulifera, Rodsch. obs. 



