NYMPH^A 



WATEB-LILY OBDEB 



NYMPHiEA 187 



plant, and according to locality is often 

 in bloom in May. It has fleshy root- 

 stocks from which arise the roundish, 

 heart-shaped entire leaves S-10 in. across. 

 The scentless flowers are 4-6 in. across, 

 and float on the surface of the water. 

 The sepals are linear, oblong, green out- 

 side. Petals oblong, blunt. There are a 

 few varieties, such as candidissima, with 

 broad-petaUed flowers ; jglenissima, with 

 an extra number of petals ; maxima, with 

 larger, and minor, with smaller flowers 

 than the type. 



Culture do. as above. 



N. Candida {N. semiaptera). — A Bohe- 

 mian species liie N. alba but smaller. 

 Flowers snowy white, 2-3 in. across, 

 sepals tinged with green. 



Culture dc. as above. 



N. flava. — This is a native of the 

 South United States, and is probably 

 hardy enough for the mildest parts of this 

 eoimtry. It has slender rootstocks form- 

 ing numerous suckers, and oblong roimded 

 leaves, 4-6 in. long, 3-5 in. broad, shal- 

 lowly crenate, and irregularly blotched 

 with dark brown in the early part of 

 the season. Flowers in smnmer, canary- 

 yellow. 



Unlike other species, N. fla/va is not 

 quite deciduous, and the roots, if taken 

 up, should therefore never be dried off, but 

 be kept in damp soil or wet moss. 



Culture So. as above. 



N. nitida. — A native of Siberia with 

 heart-shaped quite entire leaves, on smooth 

 stalks, and without prominent nerves 

 underneath. The white scentless flowers 

 with blunt petals appear in June, and are 

 3-4 in. across. 



Culture do. as above. 



N. odorata. — A beautiful N.American 

 species resembhng N. alba but quite 

 distinct from it. Leaves heart-shaped, 

 entire, with nerves and veins very 

 prominent on the under surface. The 

 sweet-scented flowers, 6 in. across, appear 

 from June till September, usually white, 

 tinted with rose, and opening in the 

 morning, but closing after midday. 



The variety rosea or rosacea has 

 beautiful flowers suffused with pink ; 

 sulphurea has prettily marbled leaves 

 and sulphur-yellow flowers 8 in. across ; 

 granddflora has yellow sweet-scented 

 flowers, and leaves mottled with brown 

 above, and spotted with red beneath ; 

 exquisita has flowers of a deep rosy- 



carmine almost red at the base of the 

 petals ; auperha is a fine large-flowered 

 form, and minor has smaller leaves and 

 flowers than the type ; carolimiama is said 

 to be a cross between the variety rosea 

 and N. alba cand/id/issima, and is a grand 

 variety ; gigantea, as the name implies, 

 has fine large flowers. 

 Culture do. as above. 



N. pygmaea. — This elegant species 

 from N. Asia is the smallest of the Water- 

 Lilies. Its heart-shaped entire leaves are 

 little more than 3-4 in. across, and the 

 white fragrant flowers, scarcely 2 in. 

 across, with a greenish-yeUow torus in 

 the centre, appear from June to September. 

 Helvola is a seedling from this species, 

 raised by M. Marliac. It is a beautiful 

 plant with pale straw-yellow flowers, and 

 somewhat oblong leaves blotched with 

 brown above and red beneath. 



Culture dc. as above. 



N. sphsrocarpa. — This is closely re- 

 lated to N. alba, but has rose-carmine 

 flowers, produced in abundance in May 

 and June. 



Cultu/re dc. as above. 



N. tuberosa. — A beautiful species from 

 the N.E. United States. It has a creep- 

 ing rootstock with oblong tubers, and 

 circular leaves 8-18 in. in diameter, with 

 an entire or wavy margin. The faintly 

 scented flowers are white, 4-7 in. across, 

 and produced in July and August. It is 

 readily increased by dividing the roots. 



The variety rosea has exquisite pink 

 flowers deliciously fragrant ; Bicha/rdsoni, 

 which is less vigorous than the type, has 

 pure white double flowers standing well 

 above the water. 



Culture dc. as above. 



HAEDY HYBRID WATER-LILIES 



Besides the natural species, many 

 beautiful hybrids have been raised during 

 recent years, and have become exceedingly 

 popular owing to their hardiness in our 

 climate, and because of thefr free-flowering 

 properties. The name of M. Latour 

 Marliac, of Temple - sur - Lot, France, 

 deserves to be recorded as the raiser of 

 most of these beautiful Water-Lihes. 



These lovely plants raised by M. 

 Marliac may for the sake of convenience 

 be classed into 2 groups, viz. : — Ma/rUacea 

 hybrids and Laydelceri hybrids, as 

 follows ; — 



N. Ma/rUacea • albida. — This is the 



