280 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY 



numerous, the anthers with an appendage and opening 

 in two long slits. In the centre of the flower is an 

 inverted cone-shaped organ, a peculiar shaped thalamus, 

 in the top of which are inserted several carpels each 

 containing one seed. The sepals, petals and stamens 

 soon fall off, and leave this structure with its enclosed 

 carpels to harden. 



NYMPH^EA LOTUS, L., the common Water-lily of 

 Indian tanks and streams. This plant grows in water, 

 rooted to the mud at the bottom. The leaves have 

 long stalks, which, if cut open, can be seen to be very 

 spongy, and to contain numerous open channels running 

 along the length. Blades sagittate, or deeply cleft at 

 the base, sharply sinuate or toothed. The upper surface 

 very smooth and shiny so that water easily rolls off it, 

 the lower rough with large veins, and of a purplish 

 colour. Flowers on long scapes, floating usually on the 

 water. Sepals four, oblong. Petals many. Stamens 

 also many, the outer ones broad especially at the base, 

 and resembling the petals. Ovary slightly sunk in the 

 disc, of many cells, with seed attached all over their 

 inner surfaces ; stigma sessile on the ovary, in the form 

 of a number of velvety rays. Fruit a berry ripening 

 under water, seed very small, each enclosed in a little 

 sac (aril) and immensed in the pulp of the berry. 

 Embryo small, in a small endosperm itself surrounded, 

 except at the apex, by perisperm. 



Another common example of this family is N. STEL- 

 LATA, Willd., which has white, blue or pink flowers and 

 differs from N. LOTUS in the anthers having append- 

 ages, the rays of the stigma ending in short horns, 

 and- the leaves being more or less circular. 



