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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Nelumbo nucifera''
| image = Lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera_Flower_Large_3264px.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = ''Nelumbo nucifera'' flower
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| phylum = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Proteales]]
| familia = [[Nelumbo]]naceae<!--why does this Wikilink duplicate the genus name?-->
| genus = ''[[Nelumbo]]''
| species = '''''N. nucifera'''''
| binomial = ''Nelumbo nucifera''
| binomial_authority = Gaertn.
}}
'''''Nelumbo nucifera''''' is known by a number of common names, including '''[[blue lotus]]''', '''Indian lotus''', '''sacred lotus''', '''bean of India''', and '''sacred water-lily'''. Botanically, ''Nelumbo nucifera'' (Gaertn.) may also be referred to by its former names, ''Nelumbium speciosum'' (Wild.) or ''Nymphaea nelumbo.'' This plant is an aquatic perennial, but if its seeds are preserved under favorable circumstances, they may remain viable for many years.
In [[Ancient Egypt]], ''Nelumbo nucifera'' was unknown, being introduced only at the time of the [[Persia]]n invasions, late in ancient Egyptian history. The ancient Egyptians venerated the blue water-lily, ''[[Nymphaea caerulea]]'', which was sometimes known as the "blue lotus" or "sacred lotus".
''N. nucifera'' was native to a huge area from modern Vietnam to Afghanistan, being spread widely as an ornamental and food plant. In 1787 it was first brought into horticulture in Western Europe as a stove-house water-lily under the patronage of [[Joseph Banks]] and can be seen in [[botanical garden]] collections where heating is provided. Today it is rare or extinct in the wild in Africa but widely naturalized in southern [[Asia]] and [[Australia]], where it is commonly cultivated in [[water garden]]s. It is the [[National emblem|National Flower]] of India and Vietnam.
==Botany==
[[Image:Lotus jdp.jpg|thumb|right|Fruit of ''Nelumbo nucifera''; dried, the seed cup is commonly used in flower arrangements.]]
The roots of ''Nelumbo nucifera'' are planted in the soil of the pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on top of the water surface. The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the water. The plant normally grows up to a height of about 150 cm and a 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.
There are a number of different [[cultivar]]s, the flower colours varying from snow white to yellow to a light pink. It is hardy to [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] [[Hardiness zone|Zone 5]]. The plant can be propagated from seeds or [[rhizome]]s. The oldest seed that has yet been germinated into a [[viable]] plant was an approximately 1,300-year-old lotus fruit, recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern [[China]].<ref>[http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/abstract/89/2/236 amjbot]</ref>
===Uses===
The flowers, seeds, young leaves, and "roots" ([[rhizome]]s) are all edible. In Asia, the petals are sometimes used for garnish, while the large leaves are used as a wrap for food. The rhizome (called ''ǒu'' ([[wikt:藕|藕]]) in [[Chinese language|Chinese]], ''bhe'' in some parts of India and Pakistan, and ''renkon'' in Japanese) are used as a vegetable in soups and stir-fried dishes. Petals, leaves, and rhizome can also all be eaten raw, but there is a risk of parasite transmission (e.g. ''[[Fasciolopsis buski]]''): it is therefore recommended that they are cooked before eating.
Chinese people have long known that Lotus roots are a very healthy food and have been using them in this way for many centuries. Recent studies confirm this - Lotus roots were found to be rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, copper, and manganese while very low in saturated fat.
[[Image:Lotus seed.jpg|thumb|left|Eating Lotus seeds]]
The [[stamen]]s can be dried and made into a fragrant [[herbal tea]] called ''liánhuā cha'' ([[wikt:蓮花|蓮花]][[wikt:茶|茶]]) in Chinese, or (particularly in [[Vietnam]]) used to impart a scent to [[tea]] leaves. The [[lotus seed]]s or nuts (called ''liánzĭ'', 蓮子; or ''xian<!--need tone mark for "xian"--> liánzĭ'', 鲜莲子, in Chinese) are quite versatile, and can be eaten raw or dried and popped like [[popcorn]]. They can also be boiled down until soft and made into a paste, or boiled with dried [[longan]]s and rock sugar to made a ''[[tong sui]]'' (sweet soup). Combined with sugar, [[lotus seed paste]] becomes one of the most common ingredient used in pastries such as [[mooncake]]s, ''[[daifuku]]'', and [[rice]] [[flour]] [[pudding]].
Various parts of the '''sacred lotus''' are also used in traditional Asian [[herbal medicine]]. Lotus seeds called ''Phool Mukhana'' is also used in Indian cooking.<ref>[http://www.itmonline.org/arts/lotus.htm itmonline]</ref>
The distinctive dried seed heads, which resemble the spouts of [[watering can]]s<sup>[http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50563547/Watering_Can.jpg photo]</sup> are widely sold throughout the world for decorative purposes and for dried [[Floristry|flower arranging]].
===Religious symbolism===
[[Image:Nelumbo nucifera1.jpg|thumb|right|Sacred Lotus]]
[[Hinduism|Hindu]]s associate the lotus blossom with [[origin beliefs|creation mythology]], and with the gods [[Vishnu]], [[Brahma]], and the goddesses [[Lakshmi]] and [[Sarasvati]]. From ancient times the lotus has been a divine symbol in Hindu tradition. It is often used as an example of divine beauty, for example [[Vishnu]] is often described as the 'Lotus-Eyed One'. Its unfolding petals suggest the expansion of the soul. The growth of its pure beauty from the mud of its origin holds a benign spiritual promise. Particularily Brahma and Lakshmi, the divinities of potence and wealth, have the lotus symbol associated
with them. In Hindu [[iconography]], deities often are depicted with lotus flowers as their seats. In [[Hindi]] it is called कमल (Kamal) which is also a popular name for men, the female form is Kamala.
The lotus flower is quoted extensively within [[Puranic]] and [[Vedas|Vedic]] literature, for example:
''One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.''
[[Bhagavad Gita]] 5.10
Borrowing from Hinduism, in [[Buddhist symbolism]], the lotus represents purity of body, speech, and mind, floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. The [[Buddha]] is often depicted sitting on a giant lotus leaf or blossom. According to legend, he was born with the ability to walk and everywhere he stepped, lotus flowers bloomed.
Drawing in turn on these Hindu and Buddhist beliefs, the international [[Bahá'í]] community adopted this symbolism in the design of the [[Bahá'í House of Worship#New Delhi.2C India|"Lotus Temple"]] in [[New Delhi]], India.
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Nelumbo_nucifera_nucifea0.jpg|A blossom in formation
Image:Nelumbo_nucifera3.jpg|Budding blossom
Image:Lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera_Blossom_1800px.jpg|An opening blossom
Image:Lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera_Flower_Close_2048px.jpg|Fully opened flower
Image:Nelumbo_nucifera_nucifera2.jpg|Seed head without petals
Image:Lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera_Seed_Head_Water_1800px.jpg|Another Seed head without petals
Image:Lotus Nelumbo nucifera Seed Head 2500px.jpg|More developed seed head
Image:Lotus Nelumbo nucifera Blossoms 3264px.jpg|A dried seed head and a new blossom
</gallery>
==See also==
{{Commons|Nelumbo nucifera}}
*[[Lotus]]
*[[Lotus seed]]
*[[Lotus Position]]
*[[Nelumbo]]
*[[Tulsi]]
==Notes==
<div class="references-small">
<references />
</div>
==References==
*[http://www.tryptamind.com/nelumbo_nucifera.html The Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)]
*[http://www.plantcultures.org.uk/plants/lotus_landing.html Plant Cultures: botany, history and uses of sacred lotus]
*[http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/lotus Lotus: From a Pond to a Palace Dome] by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet.
*[http://www.hear.org/pier/species/nelumbo_nucifera.htm Pacific Island Ecosystems: ''Nelumbo nucifera'']
*[http://www.itmonline.org/arts/lotus.htm ''Nelumbo nucifera'' in traditional Chinese medicine]
[[Category:National symbols of India]]
[[Category:Proteales]]
[[Category:Root vegetables]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Nelumbo nucifera''
| image = Lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera_Flower_Large_3264px.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = ''Nelumbo nucifera'' flower
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| phylum = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Proteales]]
| familia = [[Nelumbo]]naceae<!--why does this Wikilink duplicate the genus name?-->
| genus = ''[[Nelumbo]]''
| species = '''''N. nucifera'''''
| binomial = ''Nelumbo nucifera''
| binomial_authority = Gaertn.
}}
'''''Nelumbo nucifera''''' is known by a number of common names, including '''[[blue lotus]]''', '''Indian lotus''', '''sacred lotus''', '''bean of India''', and '''sacred water-lily'''. Botanically, ''Nelumbo nucifera'' (Gaertn.) may also be referred to by its former names, ''Nelumbium speciosum'' (Wild.) or ''Nymphaea nelumbo.'' This plant is an aquatic perennial, but if its seeds are preserved under favorable circumstances, they may remain viable for many years.
In [[Ancient Egypt]], ''Nelumbo nucifera'' was unknown, being introduced only at the time of the [[Persia]]n invasions, late in ancient Egyptian history. The ancient Egyptians venerated the blue water-lily, ''[[Nymphaea caerulea]]'', which was sometimes known as the "blue lotus" or "sacred lotus".
''N. nucifera'' was native to a huge area from modern Vietnam to Afghanistan, being spread widely as an ornamental and food plant. In 1787 it was first brought into horticulture in Western Europe as a stove-house water-lily under the patronage of [[Joseph Banks]] and can be seen in [[botanical garden]] collections where heating is provided. Today it is rare or extinct in the wild in Africa but widely naturalized in southern [[Asia]] and [[Australia]], where it is commonly cultivated in [[water garden]]s. It is the [[National emblem|National Flower]] of India and Vietnam.
==Botany==
[[Image:Lotus jdp.jpg|thumb|right|Fruit of ''Nelumbo nucifera''; dried, the seed cup is commonly used in flower arrangements.]]
The roots of ''Nelumbo nucifera'' are planted in the soil of the pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on top of the water surface. The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the water. The plant normally grows up to a height of about 150 cm and a 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.
There are a number of different [[cultivar]]s, the flower colours varying from snow white to yellow to a light pink. It is hardy to [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] [[Hardiness zone|Zone 5]]. The plant can be propagated from seeds or [[rhizome]]s. The oldest seed that has yet been germinated into a [[viable]] plant was an approximately 1,300-year-old lotus fruit, recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern [[China]].<ref>[http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/content/abstract/89/2/236 amjbot]</ref>
===Uses===
The flowers, seeds, young leaves, and "roots" ([[rhizome]]s) are all edible. In Asia, the petals are sometimes used for garnish, while the large leaves are used as a wrap for food. The rhizome (called ''ǒu'' ([[wikt:藕|藕]]) in [[Chinese language|Chinese]], ''bhe'' in some parts of India and Pakistan, and ''renkon'' in Japanese) are used as a vegetable in soups and stir-fried dishes. Petals, leaves, and rhizome can also all be eaten raw, but there is a risk of parasite transmission (e.g. ''[[Fasciolopsis buski]]''): it is therefore recommended that they are cooked before eating.
Chinese people have long known that Lotus roots are a very healthy food and have been using them in this way for many centuries. Recent studies confirm this - Lotus roots were found to be rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, copper, and manganese while very low in saturated fat.
[[Image:Lotus seed.jpg|thumb|left|Eating Lotus seeds]]
The [[stamen]]s can be dried and made into a fragrant [[herbal tea]] called ''liánhuā cha'' ([[wikt:蓮花|蓮花]][[wikt:茶|茶]]) in Chinese, or (particularly in [[Vietnam]]) used to impart a scent to [[tea]] leaves. The [[lotus seed]]s or nuts (called ''liánzĭ'', 蓮子; or ''xian<!--need tone mark for "xian"--> liánzĭ'', 鲜莲子, in Chinese) are quite versatile, and can be eaten raw or dried and popped like [[popcorn]]. They can also be boiled down until soft and made into a paste, or boiled with dried [[longan]]s and rock sugar to made a ''[[tong sui]]'' (sweet soup). Combined with sugar, [[lotus seed paste]] becomes one of the most common ingredient used in pastries such as [[mooncake]]s, ''[[daifuku]]'', and [[rice]] [[flour]] [[pudding]].
Various parts of the '''sacred lotus''' are also used in traditional Asian [[herbal medicine]]. Lotus seeds called ''Phool Mukhana'' is also used in Indian cooking.<ref>[http://www.itmonline.org/arts/lotus.htm itmonline]</ref>
The distinctive dried seed heads, which resemble the spouts of [[watering can]]s<sup>[http://img.alibaba.com/photo/50563547/Watering_Can.jpg photo]</sup> are widely sold throughout the world for decorative purposes and for dried [[Floristry|flower arranging]].
===Religious symbolism===
[[Image:Nelumbo nucifera1.jpg|thumb|right|Sacred Lotus]]
[[Hinduism|Hindu]]s associate the lotus blossom with [[origin beliefs|creation mythology]], and with the gods [[Vishnu]], [[Brahma]], and the goddesses [[Lakshmi]] and [[Sarasvati]]. From ancient times the lotus has been a divine symbol in Hindu tradition. It is often used as an example of divine beauty, for example [[Vishnu]] is often described as the 'Lotus-Eyed One'. Its unfolding petals suggest the expansion of the soul. The growth of its pure beauty from the mud of its origin holds a benign spiritual promise. Particularily Brahma and Lakshmi, the divinities of potence and wealth, have the lotus symbol associated
with them. In Hindu [[iconography]], deities often are depicted with lotus flowers as their seats. In [[Hindi]] it is called कमल (Kamal) which is also a popular name for men, the female form is Kamala.
The lotus flower is quoted extensively within [[Puranic]] and [[Vedas|Vedic]] literature, for example:
''One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.''
[[Bhagavad Gita]] 5.10
Borrowing from Hinduism, in [[Buddhist symbolism]], the lotus represents purity of body, speech, and mind, floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. The [[Buddha]] is often depicted sitting on a giant lotus leaf or blossom. According to legend, he was born with the ability to walk and everywhere he stepped, lotus flowers bloomed.
Drawing in turn on these Hindu and Buddhist beliefs, the international [[Bahá'í]] community adopted this symbolism in the design of the [[Bahá'í House of Worship#New Delhi.2C India|"Lotus Temple"]] in [[New Delhi]], India.
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Nelumbo_nucifera_nucifea0.jpg|A blossom in formation
Image:Nelumbo_nucifera3.jpg|Budding blossom
Image:Lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera_Blossom_1800px.jpg|An opening blossom
Image:Lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera_Flower_Close_2048px.jpg|Fully opened flower
Image:Nelumbo_nucifera_nucifera2.jpg|Seed head without petals
Image:Lotus_Nelumbo_nucifera_Seed_Head_Water_1800px.jpg|Another Seed head without petals
Image:Lotus Nelumbo nucifera Seed Head 2500px.jpg|More developed seed head
Image:Lotus Nelumbo nucifera Blossoms 3264px.jpg|A dried seed head and a new blossom
</gallery>
==See also==
{{Commons|Nelumbo nucifera}}
*[[Lotus]]
*[[Lotus seed]]
*[[Lotus Position]]
*[[Nelumbo]]
*[[Tulsi]]
==Notes==
<div class="references-small">
<references />
</div>
==References==
*[http://www.tryptamind.com/nelumbo_nucifera.html The Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)]
*[http://www.plantcultures.org.uk/plants/lotus_landing.html Plant Cultures: botany, history and uses of sacred lotus]
*[http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/lotus Lotus: From a Pond to a Palace Dome] by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr Daljeet.
*[http://www.hear.org/pier/species/nelumbo_nucifera.htm Pacific Island Ecosystems: ''Nelumbo nucifera'']
*[http://www.itmonline.org/arts/lotus.htm ''Nelumbo nucifera'' in traditional Chinese medicine]
[[Category:National symbols of India]]
[[Category:Proteales]]
[[Category:Root vegetables]]