ON AQUATIC PLANTS. 915 



forms that differ more or less in the shape and size of their 

 flowers, and also in colour, which varies from pure white to the 

 deepest red. They are increased rapidly by means of tubers (which 

 is a characteristic of the Lotus section), and are also the most 

 vigorous growers of. any Water Lilies in cultivation. N. L. dentata 

 (Fig. 607), a native of Sierra Leone, is a free-flowering and 

 magnificent variety, with flowers of the largest size and of the 

 purest white. It is quite distinct from any other known kind 

 by the arrangement of the petals when the flowers are expanded : 

 on the first day of opening these are arranged horizontally, but 

 on the second and third days they are decidedly reflexed. The 

 very large, deep, green, peltate, leaves are prettily scalloped and 

 sharply serrated at the margins. This is one of the handsomest, 

 and, without doubt, the purest white Water Lily in cultivation. 

 N. L. monstrosa, introduced by Sir John Kirk in 1886 from 

 Lake ■ Nyassa, is an interesting variety owing to the flower-buds 

 usually being transformed into tubers, which eventually form 

 plants. Occasionally a normal flower is produced, which, like 

 the growth of the plant, closely resembles the type ; the deep 

 green leaves, however, are more freely marked on the upper 

 surface with longitudinal and irregular-shaped blotches of dark 

 brown. The plant is more curious than beautiful. N. L. rubra, 

 a native of the East Indies, is a very desirable and free-flowering 

 variety with large deep red flowers, the petals of which are much 

 broader than in the type ; the large, peltate leaves are sharply 

 serrated at the margins, and are of a handsome dark coppery 

 colour on the upper surface. N. L. thermalis (Hungarian Lotus), 

 a native of the hot springs of Hungary, very closely resembles 

 the type in every respect ; the flowers are faintly scented, and are 

 white with a slight tinge of pink on the under-side of the sepals 

 and outer petals. 



JV. O'Marana is a beautiful hybrid of American origin, the 

 result of a cross between N. L. dentata and N. Sturtevantii (itself 

 a hybrid). The flowers are very large, of a bright rosy-red, and 

 freely produced. The plant is of robust habit, with large bronzy 

 leaves which are deeply toothed at the margins. It is of recent 

 introduction, and when better known will probably be much 

 sought after. N. Ortgiesiana is a free-flowering and very desirable 

 hybrid of Continental origin, the result of a cross between 

 N. L. dentata and N. L. rubra, the latter being the seed-bearer. 

 The flowers are of the largest size, of a bright rosy-red, with 

 deep orange-red stamens. It is a vigorous-growing plant of easy 

 culture, with large leaves of a bronzy-green colour on the upper 

 surface, and prettily scalloped and sharply serrated at the margins. 

 N. Sturtevantii, a hybrid of great beauty, originated in the 

 establishment of Mr. E. D. Sturtevant, of New Jersey, who has 

 made a speciality of Aquatics, and has done much towards 

 popularising them. It produces very large, broad-petalled, cup- 



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