stigma and the central nectary, nat. size. Fig. 3. 3. Anthers. Fig. 4. Pollen.? Fig. 5 . Capsule: and
Fig. 6. The same cut through horizontally to show the cells and seeds, nat. size. Fig. 7. 7. Seeds enveloped in
their arils, nat. size. Fig. 8. Seed and its arils cut through horizontally. Fig. 9. § : Seeds deprived of their
arils, nat. size. Fig. 10. Seed with a portion of the substance at the extremity,by which it was attached to
the arils. 2 ^ . 1 1 . Seed cut through vertically to show the albumen and embryo. , Fig. 12. Seed cut through
vertically in such a manner as to show the chalaza, together with the cavity in the summit of the albumen
whence the embryo has been removed. Fig. 13. Embryo with its tunic. Fig. 14. Embryo with its tunic cut
through. Fig. 15. Tunic being removed, the cotyledons laid open to show the 'plumule.—A ll but Jigs. 1, 2,
" 5, 6, 7- 7- and 9. £>..more or less magnified. ' \ i H j H H ’
This truly beautiful plant, which may vie with the mpst splendid productions of the tropics, is familiar to every
one, how little soever skilled in scientific botany, as an inhabitant of still pools or sluggish streams in almost every
part of G reat Britain.—But it is in the quiet recesses, the little bays and inlets of alpine lakes, that it is seen in
the greatest perfection :
The Water-lily to the light
Her chalice rears of silver bright.
On the banks o f Loch Lomond I have literally beheld acres covered with this lovely plant, which almost conceals
the water with its large dark green floating leaves, these again forming an admirable contrast to the pure white of
the blossoms which rise ju st above them. In Holland perhaps only does the Nymphoea, there called the White
Rose of the waters, occur in greater profusion, where the canals are bordered and almost choked with it for miles;
and its increasing so rapidly as to impede navigation is only prevented by the practice of cutting down the stems
of the Water-Lilies twice every year.
. This plant blossoms in the months of summer, and the flowers are fully expanded in the middle of the day,
closing in the afternoon, and lying down upon the water or sinking somewhat below its surface during the nioht’
which last fact, long reported, has finally been verified by Sir James Smith, notwithstanding that Mr. Salisbury
says that i t is an old woman’s tale, “ flores vero per noctem sub aqua descendere certo est fabula anilis.”
July is the time when the Water-lilies are in the greatest perfection. The capsules ripen under water about the
beginning of October, when the external coat decays away, leaving the cells, which become a pellucid pulpy mass,
still enveloping thé sèeds.
For a long time the Nymphoea was considered to belong to the Monocotyledones, and it was ranked among the
Hydrocharidea in that class by Jussieu. At length, when the true form o f the embryo came tó be better understood,
it was placed among the Papaveraceoe (as indeed Smith tells us that Linnæus had done in MSS.),; and
lastly Mr. Salisbury, in an able paper in the 2d volume o f Annals of Botany, determines this genus to belong to a
new Order which he has denominated Nymphoeeoe, and which he considers should be placed between the Ranun-
culaceoe and Papaveraceee of Jussieu. Still, however, though the form of the embryo in this order is now sufficiently
understood, there are different opinions as to the real nature of its parts, and they have been the subject of
much discussion, and have given rise to some admirable plates and analyses in the Annales du Muséum d'Histoire
Naturelle, by MM. Mirbel and Richard. I have in my above description adopted the idea of the former of
these Naturalists. The excellent Richard takes the following view of the structure of the part in question. The
entire coat, or tunic, of the embryo is by him considered to be the cotyledon ; the whole embryo of Mirbel he
calls the plumule (gemnude), and the end where these two are united, is the radicle. The plumule, he says, is divided
into two thick and fleshy pieces, “ entre lesquelles est cachée une troisième pièce ovale, lenticulaire, ayant
à l’un de ses bords une espèce de petite dent :”—this is the plumule of Mirbel.
According to this idea of the structure, the embryo of the Nymphoea belongs to the Endorhizee of Richard,
which in general correspond with the Monocotyledoneee. But the internal organization of our plant Mirbel maintains,
as well as the structure of the embryo, accords with the Dicotyledoneoe.
This is the Nvp.<pasia of Theophrastus and Dioscorides, so called from the species inhabiting watery places, as the
Nymphs were supposed to do. Salisbury, considering the Yellow Water-lily to be the Nuuipuias of Theophrastus,
has confined the term Nymphoea to that family, and calls our present genus Castalia :—vide Annals of Botany.
The modern inhabitants of Zante, Sir James Smith informs us, give this plant the name of NspoxoAoxuyö/a, or
,Water-gourd. Very similar to this species in the flower, but differing from it in the toothed leaves, is the Nymphoea
Lotus, the Lotus o f the Egyptians, by which people, as well as by the natives of India, it is held so sacred that
the latter were seen to prostrate themselves on entering the study of Sir William Jones, where a flower of it chanced
to be lying, r The seeds as well as the roots are said to be eaten in those countries. Swine feed upon the latter in
Hungary, and it is not improbable that those of our plant might be turned to some account where it grows in very
great plenty. Indeed, though o f an astringent quality, hogs are said to be fond of the roots of the White Water-
lily ; but other animals refuse them. They are used in the Highlands and in Jura to give a dark chesnnt dye.
From the leaves and flowers, Sturm in his Deutschland Flora assures us that the Turkish ladies prepare an agreeable
drink. . •