912 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



shading to a lighter hue towards the base of the petals. The 

 plant is of moderate growth, with pale green leaves, which are 

 sometimes sparsely spotted on the upper surface with reddish- 

 brown. There are several handsome varieties of this very free- 

 flowering and desirable species, varying in vigour of growth 

 and the tone of colour of the flowers. N. s. cyaiiea is a 



Fig. 605. — Nymph^a zanzibarensis. 



desirable and free-flowermg variety of the preceding ; the flowers 

 are sweetly scented, similar in shape to those of the type but 

 larger, and a shade paler in colour ; it is also of more vigorous 

 growth. N. s. versicolor is a small-flowered variety of a faint 

 bluish colour, slightly suffused w^ith pale rose ; it is slender in 

 habit, and is remarkable for the numerous small tubers it 

 produces, which are not characteristic of the stellata section. 

 N. zanzibarensis (Fig. 605) is a native of Zanzibar, as the specific 

 name implies ; it is the darkest blue Water Lily known. The 

 flowers are sweetly scented, very large, and of a beautiful shape ; 

 it is of very vigorous growth, with large deep green leaves, and 

 is of the easiest possible culture. Its long period of flowering, 

 and the freedom with which it produces its magnificent rich deep 

 blue flowers, justly entitle it to a place in every collection of 

 tropical Aquatics. The habit of the plant and the formation 

 of the flower suggest its being closely allied to the stellata section. 



