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ON THE NATURAL ORDER NYMPH.EACE/E. 



The plants comprised in this natural order form a most interesting and highly 

 ornamental group: they are perennial aquatics, with fleshy, floating leaves, 

 either peltate or cordate ki shape, and bearing large showy, and occasionally 

 fragrant flowers. The order Nymphceacece has till lately contained but four 

 genera, viz., Euryale, Nymphcea, Nuphar, and Barclaya; of which Nymphcea (so 

 named in poetical allusion to the Naiads or water-nymphs) has been selected as 

 the type, and with which the others agree in certain important characters. 

 The order is represented in our own country by Nymphcea alba (the white water- 

 lily), Nuphar lutea (the yellow water-lily), and Nuphar minima (least yellow 

 water-lily) ; all the others are exotics. Among the British species Nymphcea 

 alba is conspicuous as a beautiful, and by no means unfrequent ornament, of our 

 ponds and streams. The peduncle on which the large white flower is situated, 

 and which varies in length according to the depth of the water in which it 

 grows, appears to be endowed with a certain degree of irritability, approaching 

 indeed to a sensitive property, by means of which it is observed to emerge from 

 the water, and expose its opening blossom to the influence of the morning sun ; 

 and on the approach of evening to droop, and either repose upon, or sink 

 beneath the surface, till again excited by the return of the morning rays. This 

 elevation and depression of the flower-stalk continues daily, until the chief object 

 of the fructification (the impregnation of the ovules) is accomplished. The 

 flowers usually expand about seven o'clock in the morning, and close about four 

 o'clock in the afternoon. 



" Those virgin lilies, all the night 



Bathing their beauties in the lake, 



That they may rise more fresh and bright, 



When their beloved sun's awake." 



This remarkable fact in the economy of Nymphcea alba is observed also in 

 most, if not in all, of the other species, of which about nine (according to Mr. 

 Loudon) are known, and have been introduced to this country from various parts 

 of the world ; viz., four from the East Indies, one from North America, one 

 from Siberia, one from China, one from Egypt, and one from the Cape of Good 

 Hope. 



Of the genus Nuphar (yellow water-lily) we have two species, natives of this 

 country : Nuphar lutea is common in pools and still waters in many parts of 

 Britain, the flowers of which, having an alcoholic odour resembling that of 

 brandy, are known in some parts of the country by the name of brandy -bottles : 

 Nuphar minima is found in the lakes of Scotland. 



