484 
NYMPHAEA 
sp. are cultivated in our water-lily houses, e.g. N. Lotus L. sometimes 
supposed to be the sacred lotus of Egypt (see Nelumbium). They 
grow in shallow water. There is a stout rhizome creeping on the 
earth, with roots on the underside. At the tip it is bent upwards, 
and bears stipulate leaves and firs, on long stalks. The peduncle 
occupies the position of one of the leaves of the spiral, and there is no 
bract at its base. The leaf is large and floats on the surface of the 
water; as is usual in such cases it is nearly circular, entire, and leathery, 
with stomata and cuticle and palisade tissue on the upper side. In 
very deep water ribbon-like submerged leaves are sometimes formed, 
and seedlings always produce such leaves at first (see p. 160). 
The flr. is £ , regular, acyclic, and floats on the surface of the 
water; where it is visited by insects. The outermost floral leaves, 4 
in number, exhibit a peculiar aestivation, the anterior being entirely 
outside, the posterior inside the lateral leaves. According to Caspary 
(Eichler, Bliithendiag. II. 184) the anterior leaf represents the bract 
(‘adnate’ to the peduncle; cf. Solanaceae), the two lateral leaves the 
bracteoles, the posterior a true sepal. Most authors regard the 4 leaves 
as a calyx, but the morphology is, in either case, very peculiar. The 
corolla is well developed ; there are 4 outer petals alternating with 
the sepals, and 4 inner alternating with the outer. These 8 form 
the starting points of as many spirals of petals, usually 4 in each, 
alternating approximately with the outer 8 and with one another. 
As we pass inwards the petals become narrower and show transition 
forms to the sta., which to the number of 50 or 100 continue 
the flr. inwards. Whilst the calyx is hypogynous the petals and 
sta. are inserted up the sides of the gynoeceum, which is syn- 
carpous, with 10-20 loculi, each containing 00 ovules scattered 
over the whole carpellary surface (cf. Butomus). The sessile stigmas 
form a number of rays upon the upper surface of the gynoeceum, as in 
a poppy. The fruit is a large berry containing numerous seeds, each 
of which is covered by a spongy aril. Between the aril and the seed 
are air-bubbles. The fruit ripens under water and when it dehisces 
the mass of seeds floats up to the surface; there the individual seeds 
part company, each drifting about until the air escapes (by decay of 
the aril or otherwise), when it sinks to the bottom of the pond. 
There is a large perisperm round the endosperm proper. 
Nymphaeaceae. Dicotyledons (Archichl. Ranales). 8 genera with 
about 60 sp. cosmop. Water or marsh plants usually with rhizomes, 
and with submerged, floating, and aerial leaves (see p. 160 and cf. the 
genera) and solitary usually large firs. These show a great variety 
of pattern. Cabomba is most simple and agrees in type with the other 
orders of Ranales; whilst in Nuphar, Nymphaea, Victoria, Nelum- 
bium, &c., great modification appears, especially in the gynoeceum. In 
Nelumbium the ovary is still apocarpous, though the cpls. are connected 
by the curious torus, whilst in the other genera it is syncarpous; in 
