SWEET SCENTED WATER LILY. 
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having the rich odour of freshly cut lemons; they are set round the 
surface of the ovary (or seed-vessel) in regular rows, one above the 
other, gradually lessening in size, till they change by imperceptible 
gradation into the narrow fleshy petal-like lemon tinted anthers. 
The pistil is without style, the stigma forming a flat rayed top to 
the ovary, as in the poppy and many other plants. 
On the approach of night our lovely water-nymph gradually 
closes her petals, and slowly retires to rest within her watery bed, 
to rise on the following day, to court the warmth and light so 
necessary for the perfection of the embryo seed ; and this continues 
till the fertilization of the germ has been completed, when the 
petals shrink and wither, and the seed-vessel sinks down to ripen 
the fruit in its secret chambers. Thus silently and mysteriously does 
nature perform her wonderful work, “sought out only by those who 
have pleasure therein.”* 
The roots of the Pond Lily contain a large quantity of fecula 
(flour), which, after repeated washings, may be used for food 5 they 
are also made use of in medicine, being cooling and softening; the 
fresh leaves are used as good dressing for blisters. 
• t 
The Lotus of Egypt belongs to this family, and not only 
furnishes magnificent ornaments with which to crown the heads of 
* In that singular plant, the Eel or Tapegrass, a plant indigenous to our slow flowing waters, the elastic flower 
bearing stem uncoils to reach the surface of the water, drawn thither by some mysterious hidden attraction towards 
the pollen bearing flowers, which are produced at the bottom of the water on very short scapes, and which united 
by the same vegetable instinct break away from the confining bonds that hold them and rise to the surface, where they 
expand and scatter their fertilizing dust upon the fruit bearing flowers which float around them ; these, after a 
while, coil up again and draw the pod-like ovary down to the bottom of the water, there to ripen and perfect the fruit; 
a curious fact vouched for by Gray and many other creditable botanists. 
S 
