73 
N. O. NYMPH^ECE^E. 
jf. -z- ) \ ' 
56. Euryale ferox, Salisb. H.F.B.I., I. 115. 
Habitat : — Sweet water lakes and ponds of East Bengal, 
Assam, Manipur, Oudli and Kashmir. 
Sansk. Mukhauna ; padma. 
Vern. : — Makhana (H & B; ; Kunta padma ^Uriya) ; Jewar 
( Pl>. ) ; Melluni padnian 'Tel). 
A densely prickly aquatic. Rootstock short. Leaves peltate, 
corrugate, 1-4 ft. diam., elliptic or orbicular, green above, downy, 
deep bluish-purple beneath (Curtis PI. 1447), with strong 
spiny libs. Spines sharp-curved on the under and upper 
surfaces. Ribs dichotomously branched over the whole leaf. 
The leaf, while in bud, is curiously folded up and enclosed in an 
involucre, which bursts as the leaf expands. Petiole long, wavy, 
spiny. Flowers 1-2 in. long, bright-red inside, green and 
shining outside. Sepals 4, erect, inserted on the edge of the 
torus above the carpels. Petals numerous, violet, 3-5 seriate, 
shorter than the sepals Stamens many, many-seriate, fas- 
cicled in eights ; filaments linear, pollen spherical, 3-nucleate. 
Ocary 8-celled, sunk in the dilated top of the torus. Stigma 
sessile ; discoid, concave. Berry spongy, 2-4 in. diam., crowned 
with persistent sepals. Seeds 8-20, from a pea to a cherry in 
size, much eaten roasted. Aril pulpy. Testa thick, black. 
Albumen mealy ; embryo small. 
Use-. — The seed is considered as possessed of powerful medi- 
cinal virtues, such as restraining seminal gleet, invigorating 
the system, &c. (Roxburgh). 
A light and invigorating food, suited for the sick (U. C. 
Dutt). 

57. Nelumbium speciosum, Willd. H. f. b. i., 
i. 116. Roxb. 450. 
Sansk. : — Kamala (A lotus), sweta (white), Ambhoja (born 
from water), saraja (born from a lake), sarsiruha (growing in 
a lake), sahasrapatra (Thousand-leaved), srigeha (Abode of 
beauty), satapat.ra (Hundred-leaved), Pankeruha (growing 
in mud), Tamarasai (copper colour), Rajina (Lotus), Push- 
10 
