34 NYMPSMACE^. [NTMPHiEA. 



Vae. pubescens, Hh. f. ^ T. Ic. N. pubescens, Willd. ,• W. 8f A. 

 Trod. 17. Leaves more densely tomentose beneath ; flowers smaller, 

 3-4 in. in diam. ; sepals acute. Distribution as of type. 

 2. N. steUata, Willd. 8p. PI. ii, 1153; Boxh. Fl. Ind. ii. 579 \W. Sf A- 



Prod. 17 ; Hh.f. S( T. Fl. Ind. 243-, D. Sf G. Bomb. Fl. 6 ; F. B. I. i, 



114; Watt bl. D. Vern. Bamhher, 



Leaves orbicular or elliptic, quite entire or obtusely sinuate-toothed , 

 often blotched, with purple beneath. Flowers up to 10 in. in diam ., 

 blue, white, rose, or purple, slightly scented. Sepals not ribbed, often 

 streaked with fine short purple lines Petals 10-30, linear-oblong or 

 lanceolate, acute or taper-pointed. Stamens 10-50. Anthers with, long 

 appendages. Stigmatic rays without appendages. 



Abundant within the area. Disteib. : Throughout the warmer parts 

 of India ; also in Africa. The rhizomes and seeds are often eaten, 

 especially in times of scarcity. 



The allusions to the ' Sacred Lotus ' in ancient Hindi literature appear 

 to refer equally to different kinds of Nymphcea as to Nelumbiuin specio- 

 sum. The description, however, of the "flower floating upon the waters' ' 

 suggests Nymphoea rather than Nelumhium. 



Var. 1. cyanea, HTc. f. ^ T. I.e. ; F.B. I. I.e. N. cyanea, Roxh. Fl. Ind., 

 ii, 577 ; W. ^ A. Prod. I.e. Flowers medium-sized, blue, hardly 

 scented. 



Var. 2. parviflora, Hfc. /. ^'T.l.c. N. stellata, Willd.; W. 4' A. Prod. 

 I.e. Flowers usually smaller, blue ; the leaves are also smaller. 



Var. 8. versicolor, Hfc, /. ^ T. I.e. N. versicolor, Eoxh., Fl. Ind. I.e. 

 Flowers larger, white, blue, purple or flesh-coloured ; stamens very 

 many. 



2. EURYALE, Salisb. ; il. Brit. Ind. i. 115. 



A densely prickly aquatic herb ; rootstock thick. Leaves orbicular, 

 coiTugate. ' Flowers violet-coloured, partially submerged. Sepals 

 4i, erect, inserted on the edge of the torus above the carpels. Petals 

 numerous, 3-5-seriate, shorter than the sepals. Stamens many, 

 many- seriate, in bundles of eight ; filaments linear. Ovary 8-celled, 

 sunk in the dilated top of the torus ; stigma discoid, depressed, con- 

 cave ; ovules few, parietal. Berry spongy, crowned with the persist- 

 ent sepals. Seeds 8-20 ; aril pnlpy ; testa thick, black. 



E. ferox, Salish. in Kon. Sf Sims Ann. Bot., ii, 74 ; Boyle III. 65 ; 

 Hlc.f. Sf T. Fl. Ind. 245 ; F. B. I. i, 115; Watt E. B. AnnesUa spinosa, 

 Boxl. FL Ind. , ii, 573. 

 Rootstock short. Leaves 1-4 ft. in diam., oval or orbicular, green above, 



downy and red or purple beneath, with strong spiny ribs. Flowers 1-2 in. 



long, violet-coloured inside, green and shining outside. Sepals with 



recurved spines on their backs. Petals about 20, narrowly ovate-oblong, 



inner smaller. Berry 2-4! in. in diam., nearly round. Seeds about 20, 



from the size of a pea to that of a cherry. 



