The Water Lilies

The water lilies (Nymphaea) are a genus in the family of lily family (Nymphaeaceae). The cosmopolitan genus consists of about forty species.

Water lilies are often annual or perennial herbaceous plants, mostly. The aquatic form of elongated or bulbous rhizomes, with which they are rooted in the mud of rivers, ponds, lakes and other waters.

It will train two types of alternate and spirally arranged foliage leaves: leaves floating and underwater leaves. The simple leaves are stalked long. The leaf blade is often a shield (peltat), heart-shaped or arrow-shaped. The leaf margin is smooth or serrated. Stipules are present or absent.

The solitary, hermaphroditic flowers are spirally up and smell often. The range of flower colors ranging from white through yellow and red to blue; varieties can also orange, green flower, violet or purple. The usually four (rarely three or five) of free sepals are usually greenish. There are six to 50 free petals present. The 20-750 free, all fertile stamens or staminodes show as morphological transitions to the petals. The leaves are five to 35 fruit to a oberständigen or partially inferior ovary partially or completely fused. The style of the number of carpels appropriate, broad and concave scars. Pollination is by insects (entomophily). There are night-and tagblühende species.

The fruits are fleshy and spongy berries that ripen under water. The ripe seeds are up to 5 mm in size. They form swimming bags, drive through which the first seeds to the surface, where two to three days are spread by wind and waves. After this time, will dissolve the swim bag, the seeds fall down and begin germination.

Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seerosen
See Also: sending flowers, online florist