Nymphaucce—Nymphea. 35 
1. NYMPHAA. 
To this genus belongs our White Water-Lily, together with 
several splendid, though unfortunately not hardy species, 
having crimson, rose, or blue flowers, natives of Australia and 
South Africa. Besides the flowers being much larger and 
never yellow, this is technically distinguished from Niuphar by 
having 4 sepals and numerous conspicuous petals as large as or 
larger than the sepals. Dedicated by the Greeks to the water- 
nymphs. They are all Summer-flowering plants. 
1. WV. alba (fig. 26). White Water-Lily.—-Leaves orbicular, 
Fig. 26. Nymphea alba. (¢ nat. size.) 
cordate at the base, quite entire. This is one of our most 
beautiful indigenous aquatic plants. 
2. N. odorata.—A North American species, closely re- 
sembling the last, but the flowers are slightly tinged with rose 
and deliciously scented. 
NV. nitida, a native of Siberia, has elliptical cordate shining 
deeply-lobed leaves with spreading lobes and white flowers, and 
N. pygmea is a charming miniature of the foregoing. A 
native of China, and equally hardy. 
2, NUPHAR. 
In this genus the sepals, which exceed 4 in number, are 
coloured, and conceal the smaller scale-like petals. Flowers 
always yellow, globose, and smaller than in Nymphéa. There 
are four or five species, all natives of the temperate zone of the 
northern hemisphere. The name is from the Arabic Naufar. 
1. N. lutea (fig. 27). Yellow Water-Lily, Brandy-Bottles.—— 
Leaves orbicular, deeply lobed at the base; lobes contiguous 
or overlapping. There is also a smaller form of this species. 
2. N. pumila.—Leaves oblong, lobes at length spreading. 
p2 
