The Lotus belongs to the monogeneric family Nelumbonaceae (from the
native Sinhalese Nelum) of which there are only two species viz. Nelumbo
lutea, (aka. the, “American Lotus” or, “Yellow Lotus”) native to North America
and the more well known Nelumbo nucifera (aka. Sacred Lotus, Asian
Lotus, J: Hasu, Cm: Lianhua, H: Kamal). There are older references that
incorrectly place the Lotus in the family Nymphaceae (water lilles) where the
Egyptian, “Blue Lotus” can be found. The Egyptian Blue Lotus is not, in fact,
a Lotus at all but rather a very nice Water Lilly; proper Lotuses were
introduced into Egypt through Afghanistan.
Today the Lotus is nearly extinct in Africa but can easily be found in
cultivation in most parts of the world, particularly its native lands in Asia from
Vietnam to Afghanistan where it is grown as both a food plant and an
ornamental. It is the national flower of both India and Vietnam.
native Sinhalese Nelum) of which there are only two species viz. Nelumbo
lutea, (aka. the, “American Lotus” or, “Yellow Lotus”) native to North America
and the more well known Nelumbo nucifera (aka. Sacred Lotus, Asian
Lotus, J: Hasu, Cm: Lianhua, H: Kamal). There are older references that
incorrectly place the Lotus in the family Nymphaceae (water lilles) where the
Egyptian, “Blue Lotus” can be found. The Egyptian Blue Lotus is not, in fact,
a Lotus at all but rather a very nice Water Lilly; proper Lotuses were
introduced into Egypt through Afghanistan.
Today the Lotus is nearly extinct in Africa but can easily be found in
cultivation in most parts of the world, particularly its native lands in Asia from
Vietnam to Afghanistan where it is grown as both a food plant and an
ornamental. It is the national flower of both India and Vietnam.
History of the Lotus
- Along with certain species of Taro, Lotus leaves exhibit a
hydrophilic property known as the, “Lotus Effect.” Water
dropped onto the leaves will bead in a fashion similar to water
on a newly waxed car and simply roll off the leaf. - An approximately 1300 year-old Lotus seed found at the
bottom of a dry lakebed in Northern China successfully
germinated into a mature plant, making it one of the oldest
surviving viable seeds ever found. - A recent publication in the journal Nature describes an
incredible ability of Lotus plants; they are somehow able to
regulate the temperature of their flowers! It was observed that
despite prolonged air temperatures of only 50 degrees the
flowers were maintained at a steady 86 to 95 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Wierd but Fun Lotus Facts
Of particular local interest to us
here in Hawaii is how the Lotus
first came to be described to the
West; through the work of
Joseph Banks, a British
Naturalist who accompanied
Captain Cook on his first voyage
as the ship's Naturalist. Due to
a disagreement over ship-board
accomodations, he fortunately
did not accompany Cook on his
second voyage and in 1787
introduced the plant to
European horticulturalists as
the Stove Pipe Water Lilly.
| Sir Joseph Banks |
