LOTUS

Nelumbo nucifera
Nelumbo nucifera, known by a number of names including
Indian lotus, sacred lotus, bean of India, or simply lotus, is
one of two species of aquatic plant in the family
Nelumbonaceae.

The Linnaean binomial Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn.) is the

currently recognized name for this species, which has been
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
classified under the former names, Nelumbium speciosum
(Willd.) and Nymphaea nelumbo, among others. Names other
Kingdom: Plantae
than Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn.) are obsolete synonyms and
should not be used in current works. This plant is an aquatic Order: Proteales

perennial. Under favorable circumstances its seeds may Family: Nelumbonaceae

remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus Genus: Nelumbo
germination being from that of seeds 1,300 years old Species: N. nucifera
recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China.

A common misconception is referring to the lotus as a water

lily (Nymphaea), an entirely different plant, as can be seen in
the center of the flowers, which lack the structure that goes
on to form the distinctive circular seed pod in the Nelumbo
nucifera.
Fruit of Nelumbo nucifera; the
Native to Tropical Asia and Queensland, Australia, it is dried seed cup is commonly
used in flower arrangements.
commonly cultivated in water gardens. It is also the national
flower of India and Vietnam.

Botany
The roots of lotus are planted in the soil of the pond or river
bottom, while the leaves float on top of the water surface or
are held well above it. The flowers are usually found on thick
stems rising several centimeters above the leaves. The plant
Fruit of Nelumbo nucifera; the
normally grows up to a height of about 150 cm and a dried seed cup is commonly
horizontal spread of up to 3 meters, but some unverified
reports place the height as high as over 5 meters. The leaves
may be as large as 60 cm in diameter, while the showy
flowers can be up to 20 cm in diameter.