Nelumbo

Nelumbo lutea (American Lotus)

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Nelumbo nucifera (Sacred Lotus)

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Nelumbo is a genus of water flowers commonly known as lotus and the only genus in the family Nelumbonaceae. Nelumbo is what is most commonly meant by the rather ambiguous term lotus.

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Nelumbo is superficially similar to but unrelated to the water-lilies of the family Nymphaeaceae. The leaves of Nelumbo can be distinguished from those of genera in the Nymphaeaceae as they are peltate, that is they have fully circular leaves. Nymphaea, on the other hand, have a single characteristic notch from the edge in to the center of the lilypad. The central seed pod of Nelumbo is also a distinguishing feature.

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Nelumbo nucifera is particularly well known as it is the sacred flower of Hinduism and Buddhism and is the national flower of India. It is also used widely in Asian cooking.

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Leaves: REDIRECT Leaf...

Seed: A seed is the ripened ovule of gymnosperm or angiosperm plants. The importance of the seed relative to more primitive forms of reproduction and dispersal is attested to by the success of these two groups of plants in dominating the landscape....

Nelumbo nucifera: Nelumbo nucifera is known by a number of common names, including sacred lotus, Indian lotus and sacred water-lily. This plant is an aquatic perennial, native to India and Indonesia, most commonly cultivated in water gardens. It is the National Flower of India....

Nelumbo related Images and Photos (experimental)

Sacred Lotus Blossom (Nelumbo Nucifera) Stamen and Pistil