? Nelumbo nucifera
Nelumbo nucifera flower and leaves
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Proteales Family: Nelumbonaceae Genus: Nelumbo Species: N. nucifera
Binomial name
Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.

Nelumbo nucifera is known by a number of common names, including sacred lotus, Indian lotus and sacred water-lily. This plant is an aquatic perennial, native to India and Indonesia, most commonly cultivated in water gardens. It is the National Flower of India. Download high resolution version (1024x768, 83 KB)Nelumbo nucifera flower From the french Wikipedia: fr:Image:Fleur de lotus. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Divisions Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Hepatophyta - liverworts Anthocerophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses Equisetophyta - horsetails Pteridophyta - true ferns Psilotophyta - whisk ferns Ophioglossophyta - adderstongues Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants Adiantum pedatum (a fern... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants (also angiosperms or Magnoliophyta) are one of the major groups of modern plants, comprising those that produce seeds in specialized reproductive organs called flowers, where the ovulary or carpel is enclosed. ... Orders see text Dicotyledons or dicots are flowering plants whose seed contains two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. ... Families See text The Proteales are an order of flowering plants, which belong among the basal eudicots. ... Species Nelumbo lutea Willd. ... Species Nelumbo lutea Willd. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is a standard convention used for naming species. ... Water gardens, also known as aquatic gardens and backyard ponds, have become popular in recent years. ... A national emblem symbollically represents a nation. ...

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. Download high resolution version (800x725, 106 KB)Nelumbo nucifera fruit From the french Wikipedia: fr:Image:Lotus. ... Download high resolution version (800x725, 106 KB)Nelumbo nucifera fruit From the french Wikipedia: fr:Image:Lotus. ...

There are a number of different cultivars, the flower colours varying from snow white to yellow to a light pink. It is hardy to USDA Zone 5. The plant can be propagated from seeds or rhizomes. This Osteospermum Pink Whirls is a successful cultivar. ... The U.S. Department of Agriculture, also called the Agriculture Department, or USDA, is a Cabinet department of the United States Federal Government. ...

Uses

The flowers, seeds, young leaves and rhizomes 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 is a common soup or stir-fry ingredient and is the part most commonly consumed. Petals, leaves, and rhizome can also all be eaten raw. In botany, a rhizome is a horizontal, usually underground stem of a plant that often sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. ...

The stamens can be dried and made into a fragrant herbal tea. The seeds or nuts 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. Combined with sugar, lotus seed paste is a common ingredient in pastries such as mooncakes, daifuku and rice flour pudding. Stamens of the Amaryllis with prominent anthers carrying pollen. ... A herbal tea, tisane, or ptisan is a herbal infusion other than that made with real (white, yellow, black, oolong, or green) tea (Camellia sinensis). ... Popped kernels Popcorn or popping corn is a type of maize which puffs up when it is heated in oil or by dry heat. ... Mooncake A mooncake (Chinese: 月餅; pinyin: yuèbǐng) is a type of Chinese cake-like confection that is traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, though mooncakes can be eaten at other times throughout the year as well. ... Daifuku (大福) is a soft rice cake stuffed with sweet filling, for example an - a sweetened bean jam. ... Species References ITIS 41975 2002-09-22 Rice (genus Oryza) is a plant of the grass family which is a dietary staple of more than half of the worlds human population. ... An ingredient used in many foods, flour is a fine powder made from cereals or other starchy food sources. ... Pudding is either of two general types of food, the second deriving from the first. ...

Various parts of the sacred lotus are also used in traditional Asian herbal medicine.

Religious symbolism

Sacred Lotus

Hindus associate the lotus blossom with creation mythology, and with the gods Vishnu Brahma and Lakshmi. From ancient times lotus has been a divine symbol in Hindu tradition. 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. Recall that both Brahma and Lakshmi, the Divinities of potence and Wealth, have the lotus symbol associated with them as their seats. In Hindi it is called कमल (Kamal) which is also a popular name for many males in India. Download high resolution version (934x702, 213 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (934x702, 213 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Hinduism (सनातन धर्म; also known as Sanātana Dharma, and Vaidika-Dharma ) is a worldwide tradition that encompasses several religions and ideologies. ... The term origin belief refers to stories and explanations which describe the beginnings of humanity, earth, life, and the universe. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... Brahma, the Creator, is depicted with four heads, each reciting one of the four Vedas. ... Popular image of Lakshmi In Hinduism, Lakshmi or Laxmi (Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी) is the goddess of wealth and fortune, as well as (secondarily) luck, beauty and fertility. ... माडरचोड à¤•à¤©à¤® Hindi (हिन्दी) is a language spoken in most states in northern and central India. ...

See also: Lotus Position. A drawing of a girl sitting in the lotus position The Lotus Position (Sanskrit: Padmasanam -- lotus posture) is a cross-legged sitting posture which originated in representations and meditative practices of Hinduism. ...

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. Buddhist symbolism appeared from around the 3rd century BCE, and started with aniconic symbolism, avoiding direct representations of the Buddha. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ...

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Nelumbo nucifera