NYMPH^ACE^-WATER-LILY FAMILY 



WHITE WATER-LILY 



Nymphaa odorilta. Caslhlia odorata. 



Nymphaa, dedicated to the water nymphs. Castalia, a fountain 

 on Mount Parnassus, sacred to Apollo and the Muses. 



This is the white, sweet-scented Water-Lily of the North, found in the 

 still or slow-flowing water of lakes and ponds; it varies into a form 

 with pink flowers. June to September. 



Another species, Nymphma iuberosa, is associated with it in Western 

 waters. Both are the primitives of many hybrid forms. 



Rootstocks. — Long, prostrate, often as thick as one's arm; which 

 send up floating leaves and large flowers. 



Leaves. — Floating, rounded, with a narrow cleft reaching nearly or 

 quite to the petiole; margin inroUed in the bud. Under side of leaf 

 reddish, hairy; upper side smooth, green; margin entire. 



Petiole, — Long, hollow, strong. 



Flowers. — Floating, large, white, fragrant. 



Sepals. — Four. 



Petals. — Many, in several rows, inserted on the ovary, passing gradu- 

 ally into stamens. 



Stamens. — Many, the outer rows with petaloid filaments and short 

 anthers; the inner rows with linear filaments and elongated anthers. 



Oi/orji.— Globular, many-celled; around a little knob at the top the- 

 numerous stigmas radiate as in a poppy-head, ending in long and nar- 

 row incurved lobes. 



Fm/.— The many-seeded 6vary enlarged, covered by the persistent 

 bases of the petals. Each ripe seed is in a little arillus, or bag, open at the 

 top. The fruit ripens under water. 



15° 



