II 



8 WATER-LILIES 



all the others, it needs no special care in 

 summer, and it is as easy as any blue kind 

 to flower under glass in winter. 



THE REAL EGYPTIAN LOTUS 



The true Egyptian lotus, or blue lotus 

 {NymphcBa ccerulea), is a water-lily of this 

 class, and one of the easiest blues to raise. 

 The flowers rise well above the water, and 

 are open for three days, from 7:30 a. m. 

 until noon. They never open very widely, 

 but remain in a broad cup-shape, so that 

 the four green sepals, with the characteristic 

 copious black spots, are always evident. 

 The petals are of a pale-blue colour, shading 

 to dull white at base, not very numerous, and 

 rather narrow. The flowers will measure six 

 and a half inches across, with petals three and 

 a half inches long. The leaves reach a 

 diameter of twenty inches under very favour- 

 able circumstances. They are entire, dark 

 green above, copiously spotted with black 

 beneath. 



