Nymphaeaceae
A small genus (three or four species) of very beautiful aquatic, perennial herbs, inhabiting the extra-tropical regions of the Northern hemisphere. Flowers yellowish, rather large; calyx of five or six concave, coriaceous sepals; petals many, small; stamens numerous, in several rows, ultimately bent backwards. Leaves peltate, floating. Nuphars are perfectly hardy, and thrive either in still or in running water. Although they are sometimes found at much greater depths, they perhaps succeed best when their stout rootstocks are planted in mud, with from 6in. to 12in. of water above them. If the roots are fastened inside loosely-made wickerwork baskets of rich soil, and these placed under water in the spots where it is desired to have the plants grow, no difficulty will be experienced. Unless the newly-planted rootstocks are firmly fixed, they frequently float to the surface of the water; but, when treated as above suggested, the roots soon form and fix them-selves in the mud outside the baskets in which they have been placed. N. pumilum is a charming little plant, a much smaller grower than either N. advena or N. luteum, and, therefore, suitable for small pieces of water where those species would prove too large. All should be planted in full sun, as, although the plants grow freely enough in shade, they only produce flowers when allowed the full benefit of sunlight.
N. advena (stranger).* fl. yellow, with red anthers, large, on round stalks; sepals six; petals many, small, shorter than the sepals, never exceeding the stamens. Summer. l. erect, cordate, with divaricated lobes, on half-round petioles. The leaves and flowers of this species rise considerably above the surface of the water. 1772. (B. M. 684, under name of Nymphaea advena.) N. Kalmiana (Kalm's). A synonym of N. pumilum.
N. luteum (yellow).* Yellow Water Lily. fl. yellow, with a brandy-like scent, on stalks rising a little above the surface of the water; sepals five; petals very numerous; stigmas entire, ten to thirty-rayed, profoundly umbilicated. Summer. l. 8in. to 12in. across, orbicular, deeply two-lobed at base; lobes usually contiguous. The rootstock abounds in tannic acid. (Sy. En. B. 54.) N. pumilum (dwarf). fl. 1/2in. to 1in. across when fully outspread; stigma rays eight to ten, reaching the margin. l. oblong, deeply two-lobed at the base; lobes at length spreading. SYN. N. Kalmiana. (B. M. 1243, under name of Nymphaea Kalmiana; Sy. En. B. 56.) NUTTALLIA, of Torrey and Gray (named after Thomas Nuttall, a celebrated North American botanist; he died in 1859). ORD. Rosaceae. A monotypic genus. The species is a small, ornamental, hardy, deciduous shrub, growing freely in almost any garden soil, and, where seeds cannot be procured, is easily increased by means of the suckers which spring plentifully from the roots. N. cerasiformis (Cerasus-like).* fl. white, small, polygamodiaecious, in axillary, drooping racemes; stamens fifteen. Early spring. fr. Plum-like, with a purple bloom. l. obovate, entire. h. 5ft. California, 1848. An extremely pretty plant, of nearly globose habit, branching freely, and producing flowers in abundance. (G. C. n. s., xix. 309.) N. cordata. See Callirhoe triangulata.
N. digitata. See Callirhoe digitata.
N. Papaver. See Callirhoe Papaver.