328 On the Germination of the JVclumbium Speciosum. 



Art. IV. On the Germination of the Mlumbium Speciosum. 

 By J. L. R. 



Having received from a friend a fresh nut of this splendid 

 oriental plant, I was induced to watch the development of its 

 germination. After remaining in a glass of pure water on my 

 mantel for about three weeks, I perceived a wide dehiscence 

 near its summit, and the first emission of young roots. A com- 

 post of clay, vegetable mould and sand, in nearly equal parts, 

 was then provided, and the nut partially planted in it. The pot 

 was then plunged in another, glazed and water-tight, and covered 

 with river water to the depth of three or four inches. In a few 

 days the first leaf appeared, curioysly convoluted, by its ridges 

 being rolled towards its disk. Not long after its expansion an- 

 other made its appearance, and in the course of a month five 

 have been developed in considerable vigor. The plant then 

 seemed to make a pause for a' few days, when I perceived a 

 strong and thick rhizoma pushing downwards from the axis, and 

 throwing out a profusion of roots about half the distance of its 

 length ; till finally a new leaf has been evolved from the extremi- 

 ty of this root stake. 



I have noticed, in the first volume of your magazine (p. 350), 

 that a fine plant of this species was thriving under the culture of 

 the Hon. John Lowell. What has been the fate of the plant ? 

 Has Mr. Lowell succeeded in flowering it ? 



The germination of the nelumbiura is interesting, on account 

 of the seeming absence of cotyledons, and thus possessing the 

 anomalous character of an exogenous acotyledonous plant. Much 

 uncertainty exists respecting its true physiological development. 

 On the outside of the base of the albumen is the embryo, en- 

 closed in a membranous bag or sack. This, by Ptichard, was 

 considered its cotyledon, and he accordingly placed the genus 

 among the monocotyledons and Endogenese. De Candolle and 

 Mirbel considered it as exogenous and dicotyledonous, regarding 

 the sack as a peculiar membrane, and possessing, also, a two- 

 lobed embryo. From the structure of the stem, the character 

 of its leaves, and also of its flowers and fruits, little doubt can 

 remain that it more properly should be arranged according to the 

 opinion of the two latter botanists. 



The sacred Lotus of the Nile is the present species. Ac- 

 cording to Delile this celebrated locality of antiquity cannot 

 boast of its present possession. In China, where it is exten- 

 sively cultivated, its rhizoma and nuts afford a considerable arti- 

 cle of food. These, served up with apricots, walnuts and ice, 

 were offered at breakfast to the British ambassador and his suite. 

 Some of the Japanese and Chinese deities are represented as 



