Gardeners who love ponds shouldn’t do without water lilies or the Nymphaea sp. A lot of Filipinos think the Nymphaea water lily is the lotus (scientifically called Nelumbo nucifera). The term “water lily” is also incorrectly used for the Water Hyacinth or the water weed Eichornia crassipes, which are often seen in the Pasig River. Nymphaea are often called Egyptian lotuses, while the plants belonging to the genus Nelumbo are commonly called Chinese or Indian Lotus, both of which are not related.
The genus Nymphaea includes about 50 species of aquatic plants which belong to the Nymphaeaceae plant family, and they have a cosmopolitan distribution. They are used as ornamental plants in ponds.
The name Nymphaea comes from a Greek word which means “nymph.” The nymphs in Greek mythology were supernatural feminine beings associated with springs, so the application of the name to delicately flowered aquatic plants is understandable.
The leaves of Nymphaea are circular and have a radial notch from the circumference to the petiole or leaf stem in the center. To further remove confusion, despite their name, water lilies are not related to the true lilies, which belong to the family Liliaceae. The latter usually has underground bulbs. The flower petals of Nymphaea are much larger than the sepals, and when the fruit matures, it sinks below the water level immediately after the flower closes.
There are two forms of water lilies. First is the Egyptian White Water lily, or the Nymphaea lotus. Reportedly, it flowers on the Nile River in the evening and closes and sinks in the morning. The Egyptian Blue Water lily, or N. caerulea, opens its flowers in the morning and then sinks beneath the water at dusk. This symbolizes the Egyptian separation of deities and is a motif associated with Egyptian beliefs concerning death and the afterlife.
The recent discovery of psychedelic properties of the blue lotus may also have been known to the Egyptians and may explain its ceremonial role. Remains of both flowers have been found in the burial tomb of Ramesses II.
For horticultural use, there are now a lot of hybrids for the fun of water gardening.
Ref: dailyinquirer
