WATER LILY

any of the freshwater plants of the family Nymphaeaceae, comprising eight genera native to the temperate and tropical parts of the world. All members of the family are perennial except for the genus Euryale, an annual or short-lived perennial found only in Asia. Most species of water lilies have rounded, floating, waxy-coated leaves on long stalks that contain many air spaces. The stalks arise from thick, fleshy, creeping underwater stems that are buried in the mud. Some water lilies also have submerged leaves. The showy, solitary flowers are borne at or above the surface on long stalks that are attached to the underground stems. Each cuplike flower has a spiral arrangement of its numerous petals. The flowers of most species have many stamens (male reproductive structures). Some flowers open only in the morning or in the evening. The fruit is usually nutlike or berrylike. Some fruits ripen underwater until they rupture or decay, and the seeds then float away or sink. The genus Nymphaea includes the water lilies proper, or water nymphs, about 35 species. The common North American white water lily, pond lily, or toad lily is Nymphaea odorata. The European white water lily is N. alba, also called platter dock. Both species have reddish leaves when young and large, fragrant flowers. The leaf blades of N. alba have a deep, narrow notch. The Egyptian lotus, N. lotus, has toothed leaves and long-stalked, white flowers, night-blooming and open until mid-day, that rise above the water's surface. Other species of Nymphaea have pink, yellow, red, or blue flowers; many kinds are of hybrid origin. The lotus of ancient Egyptian art was usually the blue lotus (N. caerulea). The genus Nuphar, with about 25 species distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, includes the common yellow water lily, cow lily, or spatterdock (Nuphar advena) of eastern North America. The yellow water lily has submerged leaves that are thin and translucent and leathery floating leaves. (Top) Santa Cruz water lily (Victoria cruziana); (bottom) leaf undersurface of V. 1/4 The largest water lilies are those of the tropical South American genus Victoria, comprising two species of giant water lilies. The leaf margins of both the Amazon, or royal, water lily (V. amazonica; formerly V. regia) and the Santa Cruz water lily (V. cruziana) have upturned edges, giving each thickly veined leaf the appearance of a large, shallow pan 60 to 180 centimetres (about 2 to 6 feet) across and accounting for its common name, water platter. The fragrant flowers of Victoria have 50 or more petals and are 18 to 46 centimetres (about 7 to 18 inches) wide. They open white toward evening and shade to pink or reddish two days later before they wither, to be replaced by a large berrylike fruit. Water lilies provide food for fish and wildlife but sometimes cause drainage problems because of their rapid growth. Many varieties have been developed for ornamental use in garden pools and conservatories.