國花系列:WATER LILY (印度)

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Water lily is a common name for a small family of aquatic plants. The water lily's scientific family is Nympheaceae of the order Nymphaeales. The representative genus of the family is Nymphaea.

There are about 70 different species of water lilies. These are grouped into: night, tropical and hardy. Night lilies bloom in the night. Tropical lilies can be found in tropical climates and bloom at all times of the day. Hardy lilies are able to withstand most conditions and are the most common.

The water lily has long, stout leaves and long flower stalks. There are usually six petals and six stamen. Water lilies are also able to reproduce by budding. The roots detach and grow into new water lilies. The root of the lily is located in the mud at the bottom of a pond. Many lilies are produced through budding.

學名：Nelumbo mucifera
英名：Hindu Lotus
別名：蓮花、芙蕖、水芝、水芙蓉、蓮
科名：睡蓮科

形態特徵：多年生水生植物。根莖（藕）肥大多節，橫生於水底泥中。葉盾狀圓形，表面深綠色，被蠟質白粉，背面灰綠色，全緣並呈波狀。葉柄圓柱形，密生倒刺。花單生於花梗頂端、高託水面之上，有單瓣、復瓣、重瓣及重臺等花型；花色有白、粉、深紅、淡紫色或間色等變化；雄蕊多數；雌蕊離生，埋藏於倒圓錐狀海綿質花托內，花托表面具多數散生蜂窩狀孔洞，受精後逐漸膨大稱爲爲蓮蓬，每一孔洞內生一小堅果（蓮子）。花期6月－9月，每日晨開暮閉。果熟期9月－10月。荷花栽培品種很多，依用途不同可分爲藕蓮、子蓮和花蓮三大系統。

The water lilies are well adapted to their habitat. They grow and live on the edge of ponds and lakes, in the shallow water. The climate of their habitat is usually hot. They grow in areas where there are few plants and because of this, they don't have competition for sunlight. This is very important because sunlight is the main way that water lilies are able to receive food and energy. The water lilies leaves are usually large and are able to store a lot of energy. Water lilies usually live in water that is rich in oxygen and receives a lot of sunlight.

Water lilies are in danger because the wetlands are in danger. The wetlands are home to many species and the water lily is included. People are constantly draining the wetlands and do not know the species they are destroying: cattails, beavers, ducks, and water lilies just to name a few. Water lilies are able to reproduce rapidly, but if there is no where to reproduce, (like the wetland) it becomes impossible for reproduction.

印度國花，有的說是罌粟花，有的說是玫瑰花，印度不少詩人也在詩歌中讚頌這二種花，其實，印度的國花是荷花。印度荷花主要有七種，故有“七寶蓮花”之稱。實際上，七種荷花只有二種是荷花，即白蓮花（芬陀利花）和紅蓮花（波頭摩花），其它五種都是睡蓮。在植物學中，荷也稱蓮，荷花和睡蓮均屬睡蓮科，所以荷花也稱蓮花，果實叫蓮蓬、蓮子。蓮子有驚人的生命力。日本千葉縣發掘出的千年的古蓮子，經過培植，竟然開花結實。

印度是佛教的發祥地，荷花則是佛經中常提到的象徵物和吉祥物。荷花出淤泥而不染，潔身自處，與佛教主張的處世人格相合。正是因爲荷花代表佛教，而佛教又來自印度，所以荷花在印度被視爲尊嚴的神聖的像徵。

荷花別名蓮、蓮花。睡蓮科多年生水生植物。花單生，單瓣、復瓣、重瓣、重臺及幹瓣等我種類型。花瓣多達2000餘枚。花葉美麗，清香致遠。