NYMPH2EACEJE. 97 



auxiliary in famine-times. The ancient Egyptians, too, ate these 

 ' Egyptian Beans ' (Feces d' Egypte 1 ) ; but they were forbidden 

 fruit to the priests and Pythagoreans. And the Chinese and 

 Hindoos of the present day eat the embryo roast or boiled, like the 

 American Indians eat that of N. luteal The starch gorging the 

 young stems shares these nutritive properties and uses in both 

 species. N. nucifera is also a drug; its stem has astringent pro- 

 perties. From the petiole and peduncle a viscid milky juice is 

 extracted which is used in vomiting and diarrhoea. Most other 

 Nympha?ads contain tannin ; and to this it is no doubt that Brasenia 

 peltata 3 owes its slightly astringent properties. Its leaves are 

 thought of service in the treatment of dysenteiy, phthisis, and other 

 pulmonary affections. They are bitter and stomachic ; and are 

 sometimes used for food. So are several Ny)iipli«>t>(e, whose seeds and 

 rhizomes contain quantities of starch. This is the case with 

 Huryale ferocc, 4 the Tien-kien or Ki-teou of the Chinese ; its root, 

 stock, and albumen have been eaten from the remotest times, and 

 the plant is still said to be cultivated for this purpose. E. anta.:vnica s 

 (the Victoria Reg/a), the magnificent queen of the fresh waters of 

 South America, has seeds of similar alimentary value ; it is the 

 Mararu of the natives. Nor was the value of the Nymphseas of the 

 Nile less noted among the Ancient Eg} r ptians ; N. Loins shared the 

 name of water Lotos 6 with the Nelumbo. The tuberous stock, of the 

 size and form of an egg, with a blackish surface and a yellow sweet 

 flesh, was eaten roasted or boiled, like potatoes nowadays ; and a 

 sort of bread was made from the seeds. No doubt the Blue Water- 

 lily of the " Nile ' :; had the same properties ; it has a pear-shaped 

 tuberous stock, and beautiful light blue flow r ers. The Arabs called it 

 Linoufar or Niloufar, whence is taken the French name Nenuphar, 

 applied to our White and Yellow Water-lilies. Their rhizome is 

 gorged with starch. That of the Yellow [Nuphar hdeum*) is large, 

 cylindrical, and whitish, covered with the scars of the adventitious 



1 Kua/xos- nfyiimosTnEOPHR. (see Gvib.,Ioc. cit., 652. — Water-maize of the Americans (see 

 cit , 723).— Rosenth., op. tit., 654. above, p. 87, note 3, iig. 101). 



2 See p. 89, note 2, figs. 79-81. 6 Gum., op. cit., 721. 



s Ekdt.., Enchirid., 464. — Rosenth., op. cit., > NympTtaia caxulea Saw, Dec. Egypt., iii. 



654. (See above p. 82, note 3.) 74— DC, Prodi:, n. 2.— Vent., Malm., t. 6. 



4 See p. 86, 87, note 1, figs. 99, 100. s See p. 81, note 5, figs. 87-92. 



5 Lindl., Teg. Kingd., ill.— Rosentu., op. 



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