CHAPTER VIII 

 The Tender Day Blooming Water-lilies 



There are two great groups of tender 

 water-lilies. In one group the flowers ex- 

 pand in the evening, remain open all night, 

 and close during the following morning 

 (these are discussed in the next chapter); 

 in the other group the flowers open at various 

 hours during the morning, and close, as 

 variously, in the afternoon. 



These day bloomers have sweet-scented 

 flowers, six to twelve inches across, carried on 

 strong stalks several inches above the water. 

 The leaves are often very large (up to two 

 feet) and float upon the water like those of 

 the hardy kinds. The leaf margins are often 

 wavy, while the hardy kinds always have 

 smooth-edged leaves. In this group we 

 have — or soon shall have — flowers in all 

 colours : red, blue, yellow, and white ! Splendid 

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