130 WATER-LILIES 



Passing to the other extreme of colour — 

 for colour is our chief means of classifying 

 these kinds — we have several pure whites. 

 The chief of these goes by the name of Nym- 

 phcBa dentata. The petals of dentata are 

 about three and a half times as long as they 

 are wide. In a fully open flower they stand 

 out in a ring or disc exactly at right angles to 

 the petiole. In the middle of the flower the 

 light yellow stamens stand erect. The whole 

 effect is rather curious and a little stiff". It 

 might be likened to a short, stout candle 

 standing in the middle of a white saucer. 

 The leaves are bright green. 



As varieties of this there are three forms 

 off"ered, undoubtedly improvements in size 

 and profusion of flowers : N ymphcBa dentata, 

 var. grandiflora, described as having petals 

 twice as wide as the old form. N. dentata, 

 var. superba has more numerous petals than 

 the originial, and N. dentata, var. magnifica, 

 a larger flower. The old dentata only reaches 

 eight or ten inches across. 



Distinguished from dentata by the shape of 



