1. C. Caroliniàna, Gray. Floating leaves linear-oblong or -obovate, often with a basal notch; flowers 6–8´´ broad, white with yellow spots at base; stamens 6.—Ponds, S. Ill. (May–Sept., Schneck) to Fla. and Tex.
2. BRASÈNIA, Schreber. Water-Shield.
Sepals 3 or 4. Petals 3 or 4, linear, sessile. Stamens 12–18; filaments filiform; anthers innate. Pistils 4–18, forming little club-shaped indehiscent pods; stigmas linear. Seeds 1–2, pendulous on the dorsal suture!—Rootstock creeping. Leaves alternate, long-petioled, centrally peltate, oval, floating. Flowers axillary, small, dull-purple. (Name of uncertain origin.)
1. B. peltàta, Pursh. Leaves entire, 1–4´ across.—Ponds and slow streams. June–Aug. (Asia, Africa and Australia.)
3. NELÚMBO, Tourn. Sacred Bean.
The only genus of the suborder. (Nelumbo is the Ceylonese name of the East Indian species, the pink-flowered N. speciosum.)
1. N. lùtea, Pers. (Yellow Nelumbo, or Water Chinquapin.) Leaves usually raised high out of the water, circular, with the centre depressed or cupped, 1–2° in diameter; flower pale yellow, 5–10´ broad; anthers tipped with a slender hooked appendage. (Nelumbium luteum, Willd.)—S. Conn. (probably of Indian introduction) to Lake Ontario, Mich., Minn., E. Neb., and southward; rare in the Middle States.—Tubers farinaceous and edible. Seeds also eatable. Embryo like that of Nymphæa on a large scale; cotyledons thick and fleshy, enclosing a plumule of 1 or 2 well-formed young leaves, enclosed in a delicate stipule-like sheath.
4. NYMPHÆ̀A, Tourn. Water-Nymph. Water-Lily.
Sepals 4, green outside, nearly free. Petals numerous, in many rows, the innermost gradually passing into stamens, imbricately inserted all over the ovary. Stamens indefinite, inserted on the ovary, the outer with dilated filaments. Ovary 12–35-celled, the concave summit tipped with a globular projection at the centre, around which are the radiate stigmas; these project at the margin, and are extended into linear and incurved sterile appendages. Fruit depressed-globular, covered with the bases of the decayed petals, maturing under water. Seeds enveloped by a sac-like aril.—Flowers white, pink, yellow, or blue, very showy. (Dedicated by the Greeks to the Water-Nymphs.)
1. N. odoràta, Ait. (Sweet-scented Water-Lily.) Rootstock with few and persistent branches; leaves orbicular, cordate-cleft at the base to the petiole (5–9´ wide), the margin entire; stipules broadly triangular or almost kidney-shaped, notched at the apex, appressed to the rootstock; flower white, very sweet scented (often as much as 5½´ in diameter when fully expanded, opening early in the morning, closing in the afternoon); petals obtuse; anthers blunt; aril much longer than the distinctly stipitate oblong seeds (these about 1½´´ long).—Ponds and still or slow-flowing water; common. June–Sept.—Varies with pinkish-tinged and rarely with bright pink-red flowers (especially at Barnstable, Mass.), the leaves often crimson underneath,—and in size by gradations into