ON THE NATURAL ORDER NYMPHiEACEiE, 



1*5 



The smooth water was covered with the blossoms, and as I rowed from one to 

 the other I always observed something new to admire. The leaf on its upper 

 surface is of a bright green ; in form almost orbicular, except that on one side 

 it is slightly bent in ; its diameter measured from five to six feet ; around the 

 whole margin extended a rim, from three to five inches high, on the inside light 

 green, like the surface of the leaf, on the outside, like the leafs lower surface, 

 of a bright crimson. The ribs are very prominent, almost an inch high, 

 radiating from a common centre ; there are eight principal ones, with a good 

 many others, branching off from them ; these are crossed again by a membrane 

 or bands at right angles, which gives the whole the appearance of a spider's 

 web, -and are beset with prickles ; the veins contain air-cells like the petiole 

 and flower-stem. The divisions of the ribs and bands are visible on the upper 

 surface of the leaf, by which it appears areolated. The young leaf is convolute, 

 and expands but slowly. The prickly stem ascends with the young leaf till it 

 has reacted the surface ; by the time it is developed, its own weight depresses 

 the stem, and it floats upon the water. The stalk of the flower is an inch 

 thick near the calyx, and is studded with sharp elastic prickles, about three 

 quarters of an inch in length. The calyx is four-leaved, each sepal upwards 

 of seven inches in length, and three inches in breadth; at the base they are 

 thick, white inside, reddish-brown and prickly outside ; the diameter of the 

 calyx is from twelve to thirteen inches; on it rests the magnificent corolla, 

 which, when fully developed, completely covers the calyx with its hundred 

 petals. When it first opens it is white, with pink in the middle, which spreads 

 over the whole flower the more it advances in age, and it is generally found 

 the next day altogether of a pink colour ; as if to enhance its beauty, it is 

 sweet-scented. Like others of its tribe, the petals, and stamens pass gradually 

 into each other, and many petaloid leaves may be observed which have vestiges 

 of an anther. The petals next to the leaves of the calyx are fleshy, and possess 

 air-cells, which certainly must contribute to the buoyancy of the flower. The 

 seeds of the many-celled fruit are numerous, and imbedded in a spongy sub- 

 stance. We met with the plants frequently afterwards, and the higher we 

 advanced, the more gigantic they became : we measured a leaf which was six 

 feet five inches in diameter, its rim five inches and a half high, and the flower 

 across fifteen inches. 1 ' 



It would appear that the plant was considered by Mr. Schomburgk to be a 

 new species of Nymphsea, to which he gave the specific name Victoria ; being 

 anxious that so splendid a vegetable production should be distinguished by the 

 name of Her Britannic Majesty: but, upon more particular examination by 

 Professor Lindley, it proved to be a new genus, which he accordingly named 

 Victoria regia. 



In some of its external features, such as the large floating leaves, and the 

 numerous prickles upon their under surface, as well as upon the leaf-stalk, the 



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