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1. Every Friday post a photo that includes one or more flowers.
2. Please only post photos you have authority to use.
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Thursday 19 March 2015

FFF174 - BLUE LOTUS

Nymphaea nouchali, or by its synonym Nymphaea stellata, or by name star lotus, red and blue water lily, blue star water lily is a water lily of genus Nymphaea. It is the national flower of Sri Lanka and of Bangladesh. This aquatic plant is native from the Indian Subcontinent to the Australian region. It has been long valued as a garden flower in Thailand and Myanmar to decorate ponds and gardens. In its natural state N. nouchali is found in static or slow-flowing aquatic habitats of little to moderate depth.

Nymphaea nouchali is a day-blooming nonviviparous plant with submerged roots and stems. Part of the leaves are submerged, while others rise slightly above the surface. The leaves are round and green on top; they usually have a darker underside. The floating leaves have undulating edges that give them a crenellate appearance. Their size is about 20–23 cm and their spread is 0.9 to 1.8 m.

This water lily has a beautiful flower which is usually violet blue in colour with reddish edges. Some varieties have white, purple, mauve or fuchsia-coloured flowers, hence its name red and blue water lily. The flower has 4-5 sepals and 13-15 petals that have an angular appearance making the flower look star-shaped from above. The cup-like calyx has a diameter of 11–14 cm.

N. nouchali is used as an ornamental plant because of its spectacular flowers. It is also popular as an aquarium plant under the name "Dwarf Lily" or "Dwarf Red Lily". Sometimes it is grown for its flowers, while other aquarists prefer to trim the lily pads, and just have the underwater foliage.


Nymphaea nouchali is considered a medicinal plant in Indian Ayurvedic medicine under the name Ambal; it was mainly used to treat indigestion. Like all waterlilies or lotuses, its tubers and rhizomes can be used as food items; they are eaten usually boiled or roasted. In the case of N. nouchali, its tender leaves and flower peduncles are also valued as food. The dried plant is collected from ponds, tanks and marshes during the dry season and used in India as animal forage.

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10 comments:

  1. Have seen the blue lotus only in one place - Balboa Park in San Diego - pristine capture!

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  2. Beautiful flower and photography! I am sharing some very early spring views.

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  3. The color and the shape of the petals are especially beautiful.

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  4. Hello,
    what a wonderful lotus, I love these water plants!
    I wish you a nice friday
    moni

    Thanks if you visit my blog
    http://www.reflexionblog.de

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  5. A beautiful water lily!
    I also have some in the archive.

    Best Regards

    Anne

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  6. Heisann! So blue and beautiful.... I long for ours to bloom, we had so many white in the pond, but just a few left for the Summer caused the vandalism of the community...
    Have a nice weekend ;:OD)

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  7. Absolutely gorgeous, Nick. I love this colour. Happy weekend to you. :)

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  8. How beautiful! I had no idea that lotuses were ever blue.

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  9. What a Lovely Blue Lotos.
    Thanks for stopping by :)
    Have a Great weekend!

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