Damigeron's Dungeon: Prestigious Plants - Basal Angiosperms

Plant Indices

Alphabetical Index (Genera)
Alphabetical Index (Vernacular)
Cladistic Index

WATER LILY (Nymphaeaceae)
Order: Nymphaeales

Water Lily on the Coat of Arms for Ādaži Municipality, Latvia.

Names:

Water Lily
Aakaskamal [Hindi]
Aguapé [Portuguese]
Aizaztaile [Basque]
Akvarozo [Ido]
Aleli De Agua [Spanish]
Ambal [Tamil]
Ambarezhukal [Malayalam]
Anduz [Urdu]
Ar-Duileag Bhàn [Scottish Gaelic]
Arrosa De Auga [Galician]
Baang [Khmer]
Bai Bua [Thai]
Baka-Lilija [Croatian]
Balta Lelija [Lithuanian]
Balta Ūdensroze [Latvian]
Biela Leknica [Slovak]
Bilaia Kubishka [Russian]
Blå Nøkkerose [Norwegian]
Blauwe Waterlelie [Dutch]
Blauwlotos [Dutch]
Bloomlilja [Icelandic]
Bród Na Móna [Irish]
Bružuolė [Lithuanian]
Bundaloi [Assamese]
Candók [Hungarian]
Castalia [Spanish]
Chengam [Konkani]
Drijvende Waterlelie [Dutch]
Duileog Bháite [Irish]
Dwiloba [Polish]
Fleur De Lótus [Portuguese]
Flor De Loto [Spanish]
Fyor Tal-Ilma [Maltese]
Gischiz [Lingua Ignota]
Gölrós [Icelandic]
Gul Dodi [Persian]
Gule Nilufer [Kurdish]
Halamit Mayim [Hebrew]
Hvít Vatnalilja [Icelandic]
Jacinto De Água [Portuguese]
Jal Kamal [Hindi]
Jalavanti [Sanskrit]
Kamala [Sanskrit]
Kandaka [Telugu]
Kapi-Kapi [Tagalog]
Kelabau [Malay]
Kengul [Korean]
Kengwabanga [Zulu]
Khokhopu [Assamese]
Knapul [Armenian]
Komalkheti [Bengali]
Kumuda [Sanskrit]
Leknín [Czech]
Leknyen [Polish]
Leleka [Indonesian]
Leli Air [Malay]
Lilia De Apă [Romanian]
Lilia Wodna [Polish]
Lilja Vodní [Czech]
Lirio De Agua [Spanish]
Lirio Do Lago [Portuguese]
Lokvanj [Serbian]
Lotus [French]
Lotus D'eau [French]
Luiblilie [Afrikaans]
Lumme [Finnish]
Lótusz [Hungarian]
Lótuszvirág [Hungarian]
Lökken [Swedish]
Manel [Sinhala]
Mummulan [Malayalam]
Nénuphar [French]
Nenúfar [Portuguese]
Nilofar [Persian]
Nilüfer [Turkish]
Nimphaia [Greek]
Ninfea [Italian]
Ninféia [Portuguese]
Niphè [Greek]
Nymphéa [French]
Nøkkerose [Danish/Norwegian]
Nénufar [Catalan]
Nénuphar [French]
Náiade [Portuguese]
Nénuphar Blanc [French]
Nymphéa Blanc [French]
Ogatamo [Japanese]
Padma [Sanskrit]
Paema [Korean]
Pangpang [Kapampangan]
Piyar Pushp [Marathi]
Pokharel [Nepali]
Puchis [Lithuanian]
Pundarika [Sanskrit]
Pushkara [Sanskrit]
Pärllilja [Estonian]
Ratmal [Sinhala]
Rosa De Agua [Portuguese/Spanish]
Salabhanjika [Sanskrit]
Salvinia [Italian]
Sea Rose
Seeblatter
Seerose [German]
Shapla [Bengali]
Siu Lian [Cantonese/Mandarin]
Suiren [Japanese]
Su Nilüferi [Turkish]
Su Zambağı [Turkish]
Suketja [Javanese]
Sutala [Marathi]
Sót [Vietnamese]
Tagaray [Cebuano]
Taratahi [Māori]
Tavatava [Māori]
Teichrose [German]
Telia Kamal [Bengali]
Teratai [Indonesian/Malay]
Thàm Bua [Thai]
Tindok [Ilocano]
Traonon [Breton]
Treanntair [Irish]
Tåkblomst [Norwegian]
Udumbara [Sanskrit]
Upo [Yoruba]
Utpala [Sanskrit]
Vatnslilja [Icelandic]
Vattenlija [Swedish]
Vesiruusu [Finnish]
Vesiroos [Estonian]
Vodena Ruža [Bosnian]
Vodeni Ljiljan [Croatian]
Vodná Ľalia [Slovak]
Vodná Ruža [Slovak]
Vodní Růže [Czech]
Vodyanaya Liliya [Russian]
Waterlelie [Afrikaans/Dutch]
Weisse Seerose [German]
Weiße Seerose [German]
Wasserlilie [German]
Wasserpflanze [German]
Wasserrose [German]
White Water Lily
Yan Lian [Mandarin]
Zambaq [Arabic]
Zambak [Turkish]

Nymphaeales is one of three orders of the basal angiosperms, composed of three families of aquatic plants—only the Nymphaeaceae, or water lilies. We narrow our study to three of its nine genera: Euryale, Nuphar, and Nymphaea.

Distribution: Cosmopolitan
Biome: Temperate/Tropical Aquatic

Physical Description
This is a family of rhizomatous aquatic herbs native to temperate and tropical environments worldwide. The family contains nine genera, but only three are of interest to this compiler.

Water lilies live in bodies of water, with their roots extending down to the soil at the bottom. Their leaves and flowers either float on the water or just emerge from the surface. The leaves are round with a radial notch

Symbolism

Courage
In modern flower language, water lilies are emblems of courage and rising above struggles.

Grief and Separation
In Sangham and Tamil literature and poetry, it’s employed as a symbol of grief and separation due to its superficial resemblance to an image of the sunset, the beach, and the shark. (No idea how they got to "shark.")

Birth flower of the month of July.

Lotus and Water Lily
Due to their very similar habits, much of the symbolism between the lotus and water lily is completely interchangeable.

Culture

Seeblatter
Lily pads/leaves are common charges in the heraldry of Northern Europe. Called “seeblätter" (singular “seeblätt”), they’re typically painted red, and in the case of Danish heraldry, are often replaced with hearts.

Seven leaves of the water lily or “swan flower” decorated the coat of arms of Frisia, as with the banner of King Herwic on a field of blue.

Seeblätter on the Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Engern.
From chrudeburg on Flickr.

Magic
In the folklore of Germany, water nymphs assume the shape of water lilies to hide from mortal men.

Meanwhile, nixies, the evil spirits of water, hides beneath the large, round leaves of the water lily in order to drown any who attempt to pick the plant, which the nixies are claimed to call “sea roses,” according to Skinner.

Skinner also relays the Wallachian belief that this flower, for its scentless purity, stands as judge over other flowers.

Compiler Notes

The notion of the water lily as “judge” of other flowers has implications for counterspells or the status of water nymphs in a faerie hierarchy. Worth exploring further.
Scentlessness is tied to purity, and therefore strongly scented flowers being associated with corruption is an angle worth playing.
The idea that water lilies resemble an image of sunset has a lot of possible applications, both in terms of a foreshadowing device, a motif of tragedy, and an explicit tool in theh ands of a spellcaster. Consider looking for similar resemblances in other plants for similar exploitation.

Image Refs

[Img 01 - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Water_lilies_in_heraldry#/media/File:LVA_%C4%80da%C5%BEu_novads_COA.png ]

[Img 02 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/194090212@N08/52302404922 ]

* * * * * * *

Family: Nymphaeaceae

Cultivated Nymphaea strain, "Attraction."
Own work--Eeno11

Names:

Water Lily
Alakol [Kazakh]
Aliv [Marathi]
Ambal [Tamil]
Bai He [Chinese]
Branco Lírio D'água [Portuguese]
Fleur De Lótus [French]
Gischiz [Lingua Ignota]
Jahalphul [Bengali]
Kamal [Hindi/Urdu]
Kamalam [Malayalam/Tamil]
Kanze [Swahili]
Kumuda [Sanskrit]
Lilia Wodna [Polish]
Lotus [French/Portuguese]
Lotus D'eau [French]
Nenúfar [Portuguese/Spanish]
Nilofar [Persian]
Nilüfer [Turkish]
Ninfea [Italian]
Ninféia [Greek/Portuguese]
Nymphéa [French]
Pankaj [Sanskrit]
Saluk [Arabic]
Sea Rose
Seerose [German]
Shapla [Bengali]
Shoshana Mayim [Hebrew]
Su Nilüferi [Turkish]
Suketja [Javanese]
Suiren [Japanese]
Swan Flower
Tavirose [Estonian]
Teichrose [German]
Valge Vesiroos [Estonian]
Vannlilje [Norwegian]
Vattenros [Swedish]
Waterlelie [Afrikaans/Dutch]
Waterrose [Afrikaans]

Distribution: Cosmopolitan.

Physical Description
A genus of hardy and tender aquatic plants. They are either tuberous or rhizomatous (branched or unbranched), and can be annuals or perennials.

Nymphaea leaves are round with a radial notch. The flowers of Nyphaea are pollinated by beetles.

Nymphaea lotus var. thermalis leaf.
Own work--Conan Wolff.

Symbolism
These plants are named for the mythical Greek nature sprites, the Nymphs.
Courage In modern flower language, water lilies are emblems of courage and rising above struggles.

Chastity
Skinner indicates that the water lily was a common emblem of chastity, because it emerges freely from pure water and opens with snow-white petals. For this reason it is averse to love, which might corrupt its purity.

Purity
Per Greenaway, the Victorian meaning for any with white flowers is "purity of heart."

Culture
A common emblem in Teutonic heraldry. Seven leaves of the water lily or “swan flower” decorated the coat of arms of Frisia, as with the banner of King Herwic on a field of blue.

Magic

Water Sprites In the folklore of Germany, water nymphs assume the shape of water lilies to hide from mortal men. Meanwhile, nixies, the evil spirits of water, hide beneath the large, round leaves of the water lily in order to drown any who attempt to pick the plant, which the nixies are claimed to call “sea rose.”

Judge of Flowers
Skinner relays the Wallachian belief that all flowers have souls, and their judge is the white water lily. If the scentless water lily judges that a flower has used its aroma generously and well, they are permitted to pass St. Peter’s gate and bloom eternally in Heaven. If not, they whither and disappear into eternal death.

Counter-Enchantment
According to Skinner this plant’s aversion to romantic love was so great that in antiquity it was thought that carrying it was sufficient to break the effects of a love potion that had been administered secretly to the patient.

Gelding Potion
The Romans held that making a boy drink crushed Nymphaea in vinegar for ten consecutive days turned him into a eunuch.

Liminality
The plant’s dual nature, in being both above and below the water played into beliefs related to its narcotic effects, lending the plant a transcendent reputation.

Medical
We are not a medical website, do not take health advice from us.

Narcotic
Water lilies have a history of being used as ritual narcotics, as alluded to in the Odyssey. They contain the alkaloids nupharine and nymphaeine, which are said to have sedative properties, and, depending on your source are said to be aphrodisiac or anaphrodisiac properties.

All species of Nymphaea produce the psychoactive alkaloid aporphine, though the production is inconsistent even within species. This chemical is frequently confused with apomorphine, which is further compounded by the fact that when metabolized aporphine becomes apomorphine.

Poison
All Nymphaea contain the alkaloid poison nupharin. European species contain large amounts and are regarded as inedible. The toxicity in some European species may be seasonal.

Food
The seeds of all species and the tubers of some are edible, containing no nupharin and being almost entirely starch during the dry season. In some species that do generate nupharin in the tubers, they may be boiled to neutralize the chemical. This boiling dates back to Ancient Egypt. All African and Asian species are edible, and are commonly eaten in China, West Africa, and Madagascar, where they were boiled and roasted.

In India the rhizomes of water lilies were eaten as a famine food. In one floodplain region, the rhizomes are eaten more regularly, where they are pounded into a flour and used to make bread. In Vietnam these rhizomes are roasted.

Rhizome use in West Africa varied by regions. Some ate it as a famine food roasted in ashes or ground into flour. Others would eat it raw.

Compiler Notes

Re: the story of flowers entering Heaven: If the eternal death is Hell, this implies that there are flowers in Hell, which means, withered or not, they might be harvested. How might one harvest damned flowers? How would they differ from their living counterparts? Would they qualify as undead?
The vinegar-gelding of the Romans presents opportunities for perverting the purity of this flower into a malefic. Might ten days of sympathetic poisoning with water lily render the magician's rival impotent? What would the consequences be if this was not necessarily sexually, but creatively/politically/martially?
Could the inconsistent aphrodisiac/anaphrodisiac attributions themselves be employed as a malefic? Taking advantage of the plant's own liminal qualities and turning them upside down, such a curse might render the target sexually unresponsive in the presence of the carnal (beneath the surface, the dark, no flower), while receptive and agitated in more modest settings (above the surface, in the light, flower)?
Could fouling a white water lily sympathetically curse the reputation of a judge?

Image Refs

[Img 03 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Attraction.jpg ]

[Img 04 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nymphaea_lotus_var._thermalis_(DC.)_Tuzson_leaf.jpg ]

Nymphaea nouchali, somewhere in Vietnam.
Own work--Nguyễn Tấn Phát.

Names:

Asian Blue Water Lily
Allikukka [Finnish]
Ambal [Tamil]
Ambuj [Hindi]
Asian Water Lily
Bada Shapla [Bengali]
Bak-Ambal [Tamil]
Beng-Et [Ilocano]
Blue Lotus
Blue Lotus Of India
Blue Star Lotus
Blue Star Water Lily
Blue Water Lily
Bua Sai [Thai]
Chaphul [Bengali]
Dhaibbroad [Odia]
Eiavar [Malayalam]
Esthwarum [Sanskrit]
Halud Shapla [Bengali]
Indian Blue Lotus
Indian Blue Water Lily
Indiase Blauwe Waterlelie [Dutch]
Indisk Blå Näckros [Swedish]
Indische Blaue Seerose [German]
Indivara [Sanskrit]
Innthar [Burmese]
Kaḍaga [Kannada]
Kamal [Hindi/Urdu]
Kamala [Bengali]
Kamalam [Malayalam/Tamil]
Kamalamu [Telugu]
Kandaka [Telugu]
Kanval [Marathi]
Karhar [Hindi]
Kasturi Kamal [Hindi]
Kattuthāmarai [Tamil]
Kaulu [Tamil]
Kokā [Marathi]
Kokāful [Marathi]
Kolavai [Tamil]
Kurinji [Malayalam]
Kuvalai [Tamil]
Kuvalaya [Sanskrit]
Kuvalayam [Malayalam]
Lilia Azul [Portuguese]
Lotus Bleu [French]
Lotus Bleu Indien [French]
Manel [Sinhala]
Neel Kamal [Hindi]
Neelambal [Tamil]
Neelofar [Urdu]
Neelotpalam [Malayalam]
Nenúfar Azul [Portuguese]
Nénuphar Bleu [French]
Nénuphar Étoilé [French]
Nil Kamal [Bengali]
Nil Shapla [Bengali]
Nīlākāsa [Sanskrit]
Nīlāmbu [Sanskrit]
Nilāmbujam [Sanskrit]
Nīlkamal [Hindi]
Nilmanikkam [Malayalam]
Nilofar [Persian]
Nīlōpal [Hindi]
Nilotpal [Bengali]
Nīlōtpala [Sanskrit]
Nīlpadma [Sanskrit]
Niluppala [Malayalam]
Ninfea Blu [Italian]
Ninfea Stellata [Italian]
Nouchali [Bengali]
Nymphéa Bleu [French]
Rakta-Utpala [Sanskrit]
Red Water Lily
Shapla [Bengali]
Star Lotus
Stellate Water Lily
Thamaraipoovu [Tamil]
Utpala [Sanskrit]
Vellambal [Tamil]

Distribution:

Africa, Central: Angola, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaïre)
Africa, Eastern: Burundi, Comoros, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Africa, Northern: Egypt, Sudan
Africa, Southern: Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Namibia, South Africa (Cape Provinces, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Provinces)
Asia, East: China (South-Central, Southeast, Hainan), Taiwan
Asia, South: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India (Assam), Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Asia, Southeast: Cambodia, Indonesia (Lesser Sunda Is., Sumatera), Laos, Malaysia (Malaya), Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam
Asia, West: Oman, Palestine, Yemen

Symbolism
National flower of Bangladesh.

Virtues
In South Asia, this plant is a symbol of virtue, discipline, and purity.

The Journey of Enlightenment
According to the Buddhist lore of Sri Lanka, this flower was one of the 108 auspicious signs found in the footprint of Prince Siddhartha, and that when he died, wherever he had walked these flowers blossomed.

Medical
We are not a medical website, do not take health advice from us.

Used in Ayurvedic medicine to create a digestive medicine called ambal.

Poison
The nupharin alkaloid can (and must) be neutralized by boiling prior to eating.

Food
Edible, often as a famine food. During the dry season the dried plant is fathered and used as animal fodder.

Compiler Notes

“Ambal” might be a good name for a character driven by law and order.
Each blue lotus is a reminder that Buddha walked the earth.
There is some variation in color, as indicated by the name "red water lily." Consider playing with rare color variations as markers of significance.

Image Refs

[Img 05 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:South_Vietnam%27s_Water_Lily.JPG ]

Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulia.
From treknature.com.

Names:

Egyptian Blue Water Lily
African Blue Lily
African Blue Water Lily
Ain El-Baqar [Arabic]
Alfombra De Agua [Spanish]
Arrous El-Nil [Arabic]
Bachinin [Egyptian]
Bashneen [Arabic]
Blå Egyptisk Lotus [Danish]
Blå Egyptisk Näckros [Swedish]
Blaue Lotosblume [German]
Blauwe Egyptische Lotus [Dutch]
Blauwe Lotus [Dutch]
Blauwe Waterlelie [Dutch]
Blue Egyptian Lotus
Blue Egyptian Water Lily
Blue Lotus
Blue Lotus Of Egypt
Blue Lotus Of The Nile
Blue Nile Lily
Blue Sacred Lily
Blue Sacred Lotus
Blue Water Lily
Cape Blue Water Lily
Cape Water Lily
Egiptiese Blou Waterlelie [Afrikaans]
Egyptian Blue Lily
Egyptian Blue Lotus
Egyptian Lotus
Flor De Loto Azul [Spanish]
Flor De Lótus Azul [Portuguese]
Frog’s Pulpit
Kaapse Blou Waterlelie [Afrikaans]
Lotus Bleu [French]
Lotus Bleu D'égypte [French]
Lotus Bleu Du Nil [French]
Lotus D'égypte Bleu [French]
Nenúfar Azul [Spanish]
Nenúfar Azul De Egipto [Spanish]
Nénuphar Bleu [French]
Nénuphar Bleu D'égypte [French]
Nénuphar Bleu Du Nil [French]
Nil Kamal [Bengali]
Nil Shapla [Bengali]
Nilblå Lotus [Swedish]
Nilotpala [Sanskrit]
Ninfea Azzurra [Italian]
Ninfea Blu [Italian]
Ninfea Caerulea [Italian]
Nymphéa Bleu [French]
Sacred Blue Lily
Sacred Blue Lily of the Nile
Sacred Blue Lotus
Sacred Lily Of The Nile
Sacred Lotus
Seshen [Egyptian]
Utpala [Sanskrit]
Zaparna [Egyptian]

Distribution:

Africa, Central: Angola, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaïre)
Africa, Eastern: Burundi, Comoros, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Africa, Northern: Egypt, Sudan
Africa, Southern: Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Namibia, South Africa (Cape Provinces, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Provinces)
Asia, West: Oman, Palestine, Yemen

Physical Description
An aquatic plant found in freshwater lakes, pools, and rivers. Its roots can tolerate anoxic mud and nutrient poor conditions.

Associated with snails that can spread schistosomiasis (“bilharzia,” “Katayama fever,” “snail fever”) via parasitic flatworms.

Symbolism

Immortality
The white lotus (N. lotus) opens at dusk and closes at dawn, in contrast to the blue Egyptian water lily, which opens at dawn and closes at dusk. This makes the white lotus a funerary emblem, in contrast to the blue Egyptian water lily. Together, they form an emblem of resurrection and eternal life, as both were found in the burial tomb of Ramses II. Petals of this flower have also been found cast over the mummies of other pharaohs.

Theogony
It was taught at Heliopolis that Re emerged from a lotus from the primordial waters. A similar story was told of Atum emerging from a lotus as though from an egg (this appears to have been related to the flower’s color). It was also a symbol of the goddess Nefertem. According to Tresidder, it was Horus who emerged from the flower blossom (possibly Re-Horahkti?), thus attaining eternal youth.

Purity as Practice
In Egypt and in Chinese Buddhism, the blue lily was considered an emblem of modesty and moral cleanliness.

Bascinet of Prophets
Skinner relays that this flower was supposedly the cradle of Moses.

Culture
Long history in the production of perfumes.

Believed to have been the inspiration for the capitals of ionic columns.

Medical
We are not a medical website, do not take health advice from us.

The psychoactive alkaloids found in all Nymphaea are more concentrated in this subspecies. There is some indication that these chemicals were known to the Egyptians and even across the ocean by the Maya. This is one of the candidates for the plant consumed by the lotus eaters in Homer's Odyssey.

Because this water lily is a schedule 1 drug, it is illegal in Latvia and Russia as of 2009.

Food
The rootstock is edible raw or cooked. In South Africa it was used in curries (though this practice is nearly gone today).

Compiler Notes

Could be employed as an emblem of mature virtues. While the white water lily is an emblem of innocence and purity, the blue water lily has lost its innocence but not its virtue. By its meaning of modesty and moral cleanliness, it speaks to purity by wisdom.
If employed as a ritual drug, the narcotic stupor could be characterized as the dark mud, and in the trip the ritual "god-self" emerges as the flower from the mud.
The ritual drug use described above could be employed in other ways, such as stupefying a ritual proxy for telecommunications, dulling the proxy so the speaker on the other end may emerge from their stupefaction. This would incentivize evil magicians to keep a dependent throng of narc-addicts on hand to be able to communicate with their peers without using means that might be magically intercepted (like magic mirrors).

Image Refs

[Img 06 - https://worldoffloweringplants.com/nymphaea-nouchali-caerulea-blue-egyptian-lotus/ ]

Nyphaea lotus, Southern India.
Own work--Midhun Subhash.

Names:

Egyptian White Water Lily
African Queen
Akapupu [Yoruba]
Akashmoni [Bengali]
Ambal [Tamil]
Árjuna [Sanskrit]
Bai He [Chinese]
Bedda Puvvu [Telugu]
Bua Luang [Thai]
Coy-Am [Khmer]
Egyptian Lotus
Egyptian Water Lily
Egyptian White Lotus
Etoile Blanche [French]
Gorephal [Marathi]
Ilong-ilang Tubig [Tagalog]
Jadikumbala [Kannada]
Kamal [Hindi/Urdu]
Kamalam [Malayalam/Tamil]
Kamalamu [Telugu]
Kang Sata [Khmer]
Ketaki [Bengali]
Khairvel [Marathi]
Komala [Sanskrit]
Koteka [Javanese]
Koya [Telugu]
Kumuda [Sanskrit]
Kuvalayanetram [Sanskrit]
Lale Gölü [Turkish]
Lilia Egipcia [Spanish]
Lotus Blanc D'égypte [French]
Lotus Blanc Du Nil [French]
Lotus D'égypte [French]
Lotus Égyptien [French]
Manel [Sinhala]
Narakai [Marathi]
Nelumbo [Italian]
Nenúfar Branco [Portuguese]
Nenúfar De Egipto [Spanish]
Nilmanikkam [Malayalam]
Nilofar [Persian]
Nilüfer [Turkish]
Ninfea Del Nilo [Italian]
Ninfeia-Do-egito [Portuguese]
Nuphar [French]
Nymphéa Lotus [French]
Nénuphar D'égypte [French]
Nénuphar Du Nil [French]
Nīlupaduva [Sinhala]
Okhla [Marathi]
Padma [Sanskrit]
Padmam [Malayalam]
Pamposh [Kashmiri]
Pangkat [Javanese]
Pankaj [Hindi/Sanskrit]
Pokan [Marathi]
Pundarika [Sanskrit]
Pushkara [Sanskrit]
Rakta-Padma [Sanskrit]
Salabhanjika [Sanskrit]
Salarpan [Marathi]
Saluk [Arabic]
Saluka [Sanskrit]
Shaluk [Bengali]
Shaluka [Sanskrit]
Shapla [Bengali]
Shwetambuj [Sanskrit]
Susen [Bengali]
Tamara [Malayalam]
Tamarai [Tamil]
Tavarai [Tamil]
Teratai [Indonesian]
Teratai [Malay]
Thai Bua [Thai]
Tiger Lotus
Tigerblume [German]
Tigerlotos [Greek]
Tigerlotus [German/Swedish]
Tundaiyan [Tamil]
Udumbara [Sanskrit]
Utpala [Sanskrit]
Vellai Alli [Tamil]
Water Lily Of The Nile
White Egyptian Lotus
White Egyptian Water Lily
White Nile Lotus
White Lotus

Distribution:

Africa, Central: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaïre), Gabon
Africa, Eastern: Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Africa, Northern: Egypt, Sudan
Africa, Southern: Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Provinces)
Africa, Western: Benin, Burkina Faso (Burkina), Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
Europe, Eastern: Romania

Symbolism
The Latin name lotus has caused some confusion, as that word originally designated a tree, and much later was applied to the plant in Indian texts.

Solar Emblem
To the Egyptians, for whom it is the national flower, the white lotus suggested the sunrise. The plant emerged from anoxic mud before emerging and flowering from the surface of water, just as Re emerged from his nightly journey through the underworld. Because this was an emergence from the primeval slime of Chaos, the white lotus has strong associations with cosmic creation.

Fertility
The creation symbolism of the white lotus is made it an emblem of Egypt’s fertility gods and of the upper Nile. This association was also observed in other nearby cultures

Funerary
The white lotus opens at dusk and closes at dawn, in contrast to the blue Egyptian water lily (N. nouchali var. caerulia), which opens at dawn and closes at dusk. This makes the white lotus a funerary emblem, in contrast to the blue Egyptian water lily. Together, they form an emblem of eternal life, as both were found in the burial tomb of Ramses II.

Divine Throne
On occasion this flower was the throne of Horus.

Numerology
The hieroglyph for this plant represents the number 1,000.

Chastity
In Greece this plant was a symbol of innocence and modesty.

Culture
A frequent feature of temple column architecture, in ancient Egypt sharing the role almost exclusively with the papyrus plant and palm tree.

In Egypt it was an all-pervasive motif in art, and art from 1500 BC provides some of the earliest evidence for ornamental horticulture and landscaping.

The Egyptians extracted perfume from this plant. It was also made into funerary garlands.

Magic
In ancient Egypt, a common amulet worn by women in labor was one of the goddess Heqet in the form of a frog seated on a white lotus.

Medical
We are not a medical website, do not take health advice from us.

The narcotic effects of this plant are disputed, and the active alkaloids are found in higher concentrations in N. nouchali var. caerulia.

Food
The tubers and rhizomes are edible. Young fruits are an occasional feature of salad.

Compiler Notes

Per the numerical value of this plant, its depiction could be employed as part of a numerical cypher.
As the throne of the Sun god, anything seated in an Egyptian lotus might be elevated to the status of the solar. This is an excellent way to create a hierarchy in magical action, and to set the mundane upward into the world of the sacred.
Alternate reagent for the Fireball spell in Dungeons & Dragons?
Placing a frog (living, dried, or carved of wood or stone) in a lotus might make an effective talisman for easing passage (not exclusive to childbirth).

Image Refs

[Img 07 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nymphaea_Lotus.jpg ]

Nymphaea alba, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, Poland.
Own work--Jacek Halicki.

Names:

European White Water Lily
Abja Lelyuwa [Estonian]
Akarnanpu [Tamil]
Alakol [Kazakh]
Aponogeton [Greek]
Bai He [Chinese]
Bai Krab [Khmer]
Balta Lekne [Latvian]
Balta Lelija [Lithuanian]
Baltā Ūdensroze [Latvian]
Bela Vodena Ruža [Serbian]
Biała Lilia Wodna [Polish]
Biela Leknica [Slovak]
Biela Lekno [Slovak]
Biele Lekno [Slovak]
Blanc Nénuphar [French]
Blancall [Catalan]
Blodyn Y Dŵr [Welsh]
Bród Na Móna [Irish]
Bružuolė [Lithuanian]
Candók [Hungarian]
Canh Bông [Vietnamese]
Crannlach [Irish]
Drijvende Waterlelie [Dutch]
Duftnäckros [Swedish]
Duileog Bháite [Irish]
Dukātu Roze [Latvian]
Dušica [Serbian]
Dwiloba [Polish]
Fehér Tündérrózsa [Hungarian]
Fleur De Lótus Blanc [French]
Floare De Nufăr [Romanian]
Fyor Tal-Ilma [Maltese]
Grote Waterlelie [Dutch]
Große Seerose [German]
Gölrós [Icelandic]
Halamit Mayim [Hebrew]
Hvid Nøkkerose [Danish]
Hvit Nøkkerose [Norwegian]
Hvít Vatnalilja [Icelandic]
Jacinto De Água [Portuguese]
Kandaka [Telugu]
Komalkheti [Bengali]
Krásnorod Biely [Slovak]
Leknín [Czech]
Leknín Bílý [Czech]
Leknyen [Polish]
Leleka [Indonesian]
Leli Air [Malay]
Lilia Alba [Romanian]
Lilia De Apă [Romanian]
Lilia Wodna [Polish]
Lírio-d'água-branco [Portuguese]
Lirio De Agua [Spanish]
Lirio Do Lago [Portuguese]
Lokvanj [Serbian]
Lotus Blanc [French]
Lotus D'eau [French]
Lumină Albă [Romanian]
Lumme [Finnish]
Lumpeenkukka [Finnish]
Lótusz [Hungarian]
Lótuszvirág [Hungarian]
Lökken [Swedish]
Manel [Sinhala]
Mummulan [Malayalam]
Näckros [Swedish]
Nénufar [Catalan]
Nenúfar Blanco [Spanish]
Nénuphar [French]
Nénuphar Blanc [French]
Nilüfer [Turkish]
Ninfea Bianca [Italian]
Ninfeia-Branca [Portuguese]
Ninfeia Lefki [Greek]
Nøkkerose [Danish/Norwegian]
Nufăr Alb [Romanian]
Nuferi Albi [Romanian]
Nymphéa Blanc [French]
Nymphaea Blanche [French]
Ogatamo [Japanese]
Paema [Korean]
Piyar Pushp [Marathi]
Pokharel [Nepali]
Puchis [Lithuanian]
Ratmal [Sinhala]
Rosa De Água [Portuguese]
Salvinia [Italian]
Seerose [German]
Shapla [Bengali]
Siu Lian [Cantonese/Mandarin]
Suiren [Japanese]
Su Nilüferi [Turkish]
Su Zambağı [Turkish]
Sutala [Marathi]
Telia Kamal [Bengali]
Teratai [Indonesian/Malay]
Thàm Bua [Thai]
Tindok [Ilocano]
Traonon [Breton]
Treanntair [Irish]
Tåkblomst [Norwegian]
Valge Vesiroos [Estonian]
Vannlilje [Norwegian]
Vatnslilja [Icelandic]
Vattenlija [Swedish]
Vattenros [Swedish]
Vesiruusu [Finnish]
Vesiroos [Estonian]
Vodena Ruža [Bosnian]
Vodeni Ljiljan [Croatian]
Vodná Ľalia [Slovak]
Vodná Ruža [Slovak]
Vodní Růže [Czech]
Vodyanaya Liliya [Russian]
Wasserlilie [German]
Wasserpflanze [German]
Wasserrose [German]
Weiße Seerose [German]
White Nenuphar
White Water Lily
White Water Rose
Yan Lian [Mandarin]
Zambak [Turkish]

Distribution:

Africa, Northern: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia
Asia, Northern: Russia (Central European Russia, East European Russia, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, South European Russia)
Asia, South: India (West Himalaya)
Asia, West: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey
Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
Europe, Eastern: Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
Europe, Northern: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
Europe, Southern: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy (Baleares, Corse), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia, Spain
Europe, Western: Belgium, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland

Biome: Temperate and Tropical Aquatic

Physical Description
Grows in water 30-150cm (12-59in) deep, prefering large ponds and lakes. Leaves can be up to 30cm (12in) in diameter.

Magic
Lecouteux relays a Gypsy folk story. In this story a young woman wishes to flee with her beloved. Her stepmother, a sorceress, punishes her by transforming her into a white water lily by means of a magic ball of yarn. In exchange for eggs and apples, three water spirits (called Nivashi or Nivasi) kissed the water lily and restored her to her original form before luring the stepmother to the river and drowning her.

Compiler Notes

The Gypsy folktale echoes flower meaning of "rising above." The heroine of the story is cursed into a vegetative state (or, rather, a literal vegetable). Still, her purity rises from the mud of her circumstance. She makes a deal with the substance of the spirit of the waters (three sprites) to give them the spoils of farm and orchard to collect on the karmic debt of the step-mother's wickedness.
It is worth noting the evil step-mother's instrument of the curse is a ball of yarn, a domestic binding material (indoors), while the heroine's salvation is bought with farm produce in eggs and apples (outdoors, domestic).
The evil stepmother seeks to stop the heroine from running away with her beloved, which is a relationship that will produce children. The step-mother is out of sorts with nature in the narrative, denying the heroine her (domesticated) biological yearning to make her a slave in an unproductive (childless) household by means of sorcery (unnatural evil). The heroine is in harmony with nature by following the normal course of her life (love/reproduction) and giving back from the cultivated world of the farm to the natural world that supports it.
From the above, the white of the flower rising from the mud can be reinterpreted as fire lighting up the opaque, wicked world. Work more with water lilies as an emblem of spiritual fire. This works well with the fire of spiritual purity burning away wicked things (in the manner of a Cleric's Turn Undead ability in Dungeons & Dragons).

Image Refs

[Img 08 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2016_Kwiat_grzybieni_bia%C5%82ych_2.jpg ]

Nymphaea pubescens, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, Inda.
Own work--Shishirdasika.

Names:

Hairy Water Lily
Allipoo [Malayalam]
Allipuli [Malayalam]
Ambal [Tamil]
Ampal [Tamil]
Aravinda [Sanskrit]
Beng-Et [Ilocano]
Bhat-Shapla [Bengali]
Bhetki [Bengali]
Boro Shapla [Bengali]
Cabomba-Rosa [Portuguese]
Chengam [Konkani]
Chitra [Sanskrit]
Chwem Krahom [Khmer]
Dhaibai [Odia]
Esthwarum [Sanskrit]
Harige Waterlelie [Dutch]
Indian Red Water Lily
Indivara [Sanskrit]
Innthar [Burmese]
Kahlhla [Burmese]
Kamal [Hindi/Sanskrit]
Kamala [Bengali/Sanskrit]
Kamalam [Malayalam/Tamil]
Kamalamu [Telugu]
Kanval [Marathi]
Koi [Assamese]
Kokā [Marathi]
Kokada [Marathi]
Kolavai [Tamil]
Komala [Sanskrit]
Koteka [Javanese]
Kumuda [Sanskrit]
Kumudam [Tamil]
Kuvalai [Tamil]
Kuvalaya [Sanskrit]
Lal Kamal [Hindi]
Lal Shaluk [Bengali]
Lilia-Rosa [Portuguese]
Lotus Rose [French]
Mahakamal [Hindi]
Manel [Sinhala]
Nenúfar Rosa [Portuguese]
Nénuphar De Nuit [French]
Nénuphar Pubescent [French]
Night Lotus
Nilofar [Persian]
Ninfea Pelosa [Italian]
Ninfea Rossa [Italian]
Nymphéa Pubescent [French]
Oga [Japanese]
Padma [Sanskrit]
Padumai [Tamil]
Panghat [Javanese]
Pink Water Lily
Pokan [Marathi]
Pundarika [Sanskrit]
Pushkara [Sanskrit]
Rakta-Kamala [Sanskrit]
Raktotpala [Sanskrit]
Rathniyamal [Sinhala]
Red Water Lily
Rehuli [Marathi]
Sadaphul [Bengali]
Saluka [Sanskrit]
Sambal [Telugu]
Saugandhika [Sanskrit]
Shapla [Bengali]
Shaluka [Sanskrit]
Shevanti [Marathi]
Sivappu Alli [Tamil]
Sivapputhamarai [Tamil]
Supackiya [Sanskrit]
Susen [Bengali]
Thumpai [Malayalam]
Thai Water Lily
Thamarai [Tamil]
Vellambal [Malayalam]
Villate Water Lily
White Night Lotus
Woolly Water Lily

Distribution:

Asia, East: China (South-Central), Taiwan
Asia, South: Bangladesh, India (Andaman Is., Assam, East Himalaya, Nicobar Is.), Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Asia, Southeast: Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia (Malaya), Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam

Biome: Temperate and Tropical Aquatic

Physical Description
The leaves of this water lily are heart-shaped and papery, between 15-26 cm across. They have a hairy underside.

Compiler Notes

Retained for name and distribution.

Image Refs

[Img 09 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nymphaea_pubescens_JNTBGRI.jpg ]

Nymphaea tetragona.
From the National Institute of Ecology, Korea.

Names:

Pygmy Water Lily
Aiskukka [Finnish]
Běilián [Chinese]
Dvärgröd Näckros [Swedish]
Dvärgnäckros [Swedish]
Dwarf Water Lily
Dwergnimfkruid [Dutch]
Gele Plomp [Dutch]
Hechtwurzel [German]
Himerenge [Japanese]
Hina-Ko-Hone [Japanese]
Kadal-Manel [Malayalam]
Kannshibai [Japanese]
Kleine Waterlelie [Dutch]
Kleine Weiße Seerose [German]
Kögane-No-Hina [Japanese]
Kokanee [Japanese]
Komagatake-Hisui [Japanese]
Liten Nøkkerose [Norwegian]
Nenúfar Menor [Portuguese]
Nénuphar Pygmée [French]
Northern Water Lily
Nymphaea Minuscule [French]
Nymphéa Nain [French]
Petit Nénuphar [French]
Petite Nymphéa [French]
Pigmy Water Lily
Pygmaea Water Lily
Small Water Lily
Small White Water Lily
Suiren [Japanese]
Teichrose [German]
Tetragona Water Lily
Vesi-Kasvu [Finnish]
Vier-Ecke-Seerose [German]
Xiao Ping [Chinese]
Xiao Shuifen [Chinese]
Xīběi Shuǐ Lián [Chinese]
Zwerg-Seerose [German]

Distribution:

America, North: Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, Yukon), United States (Alaska, Washington)
Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tibet
Asia, East: China (North-Central, South-Central, Southeast, Hainan, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Xinjiang), Japan, Korea, Taiwan
Asia, Northern: Russia (Altay, Amur, Buryatiya, Chita, East European Russia, Irkutsk, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Kuril Is., Magadan, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Primorye, Sakhalin, Tuva, West Siberia, Yakutskiya)
Asia, South: Bangladesh, India (Assam, West Himalaya)
Asia, Southeast: Myanmar, Vietnam

Physical Description
This plant inhabits ponds, lakes, and slow/quiet streams.

In Europe and North America this plant is limited to boreal regions above 50° N latitude.

Culture
This is an offering flower in Buddhism.

Medical
We are not a medical website, do not take health advice from us.

In folk medicine the rhizomes of this plant are used to treat dysentery, diarrhea, enteritis, fever, bronchial congestion, painful urine, UTIs, and kidney issues.

Antimicrobial
N. tetragona contains geraniin, which has been shown to inhibit bacterial infection in fish, and has been sufficiently tested to suggest that a 50% methanol extract might be used to treat human infections in combination with other antibiotics against resistant diseases such as Salmonella.

Compiler Notes

The name "pygmy" doesn't just imply small. Like our suggestion with the "dwarf water lily," the name suggests an affiliation with elemental spirits of earth. Perhaps the seed for a fairytale about an earth sprite falling in love with a water nymph?

Image Refs

[Img 10 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nymphaea_pubescens_JNTBGRI.jpg ]

* * * * * * *

Family: Nymphaeaceae

Nuphar lutea flowering, Korosten, Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine.
Own work--OlexandrBohdanets.

Names:

Pond Lily
Balseirão [Portuguese]
Bonnet Lily
Brandy Bottle
Bullhead Lily
Cow Lily
Gele Plomp [Dutch]
Geltonasis Vandenlelis [Lithuanian]
Geltonoji Lūgnė [Lithuanian]
Gischiz [Lingua Ignota]
Gul Näckros [Swedish]
Gul Nøkkerose [Norwegian]
Gule Åkander [Danish]
Gullkanne [Norwegian]
Kandík [Czech]
Kelluslehti [Finnish]
Köbül [Hungarian]
Kubilka [Polish]
Leknín [Slovak]
Lumină Galbenă [Romanian]
Mummel [German]
Nenúfar [Spanish]
Nénuphar [French]
Nufăr [Romanian]
Nuphar [French]
Spatterdock
Stužkovec [Slovak]
Teichrose [German]
Vattenlelie [Swedish]
Water Lily
Yellow Pond Lily
Yellow Water Lily

Distribution: Northern Hemisphere; Temperate to Subarctic.

Physical Description
Genus of hebraceous perennial aquatic plants found across the Northern Hemisphere. It has branching rhizomes. Nuphar leaves are round with a radial notch, and may be submergent, floating, or emergent. The flowers are pollinated by beetles.

Symbolism
In modern flower language, an emblem of courage and rising above adversity. Per Greenaway, when its flowers are white it also means "purity of heart."

Culture

Etymology The name Nuphar comes from nenuphar, a Latin derivative of the Sanskrit nīlōtpala, the word for the blue lotus flower. This word was filtered to Latin first through the Persian nīlūfar, then through the Arabic nīnūfar. Under the rules of botanical gender, nuphar is feminine.

The name “spatterdock” or “spadderdock” originates in the Americas.

Leatherworking The tannins in water lilies are used in the process of tanning and dying leather.

Medical
We are not a medical website, do not take health advice from us.

Nuphar has a long and complicated history as a food and medicine, being generally less useful than is sister genus Nymphaea for either purpose. Couple that with centuries of confusion about the distinction between numerous now-recognized species, and the whole matter becomes muddled

According to an (archived) article by the Washington State Department of Ecology, this plant was used by Native Americans to stop bleeding. Its roots were used in poultice for cuts, swelling, and other conditions associated with injury.

While these medical properties are in question, there are active alkaloids found in this plant that are subject to medical research: nupharolutine, nuphamine, and nupharidine.

Food
Despite confusion regarding poison status of many of this Genus’s species, what has been agreed on historically is that the seeds are edible, whether raw, cooked, or popped like popcorn. The seeds are regarded as both delicious and nutritious. These seeds are, however, time-consuming to harvest. This may be made quicker by rotting the flower in the water for three weeks, but then, well, you have to handle a well-rotted flower to retrieve the seeds.

Some claim the roots are edible, others that they are too bitter, cannot be eaten unsoaked, etc. They’re too complicated in treatment to be viable as famine food.

It is said the flowers can be made into tea, but it’s not clear to us whether the petals or sepals are the part of the plant referred to for this purpose.

Compiler Notes

Retained for name and distribution.

Image Refs

[Img 11 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:%D0%93%D0%BB%D0%B5%CC%81%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D0%B6%D0%BE%CC%81%D0%B2%D1%82%D1%96,_%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0%CC%81%D1%82%D1%82%D1%8F_%D0%B6%D0%BE%CC%81%D0%B2%D1%82%D0%B5_%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BE_%D0%BA%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%B8%CC%81%D1%88%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B6%D0%BE%CC%81%D0%B2%D1%82%D0%B0_(Nuphar_lutea)_18.jpg ]

Nuphar lutea at the Leiemeersen in Oostkamp, Belgium.
Own work--Hans Hillewaert.

Names:

Yellow Pond Lily
Aapakkaalla [Finnish]
Abunawa [Ainu]
Åkande [Danish]
Åkanna [Swedish]
Alior [Welsh]
Baka-Lilija Žuta [Croatian]
Balseirão [Portuguese]
Bandrol [Hungarian]
Beaver Lily
Beaver More
Beaver Root
Beurzholenn [Breton]
Beurzhwenn [Breton]
Beurzveilh [Breton]
Blabaužu Lēpe [Latvian]
Blodau'r Fôr [Welsh]
Bobber
Boltiks [Latvian]
Bolukki [Latvian]
Bondrol [Hungarian]
Bonnets
Botellón [Spanish]
Brandebold [Danish]
Brandeværsgul [Danish]
Brandflæg [Danish]
Brandilikka [Finnish]
Brandybottle
Breezebottle
Bullhead Lily
Cabombinha [Portuguese]
Candock
Castanha De Água [Portuguese]
Causse [French]
Cnoic-Chleirich [Scottish Gaelic]
Coeur D'âne [French]
Common Spatterdock
Conroy [Irish]
Cop Rose
Copaíz [Irish]
Copán [Irish]
Copóg [Irish]
Cow Cabbage
Cow Collop
Cow Lily
Dog Lily
Ducks
Dukát [Czech]
Dukatac [Croatian]
Dukatenrose [German]
Dusik [Polish]
Dussen [Norwegian]
Dzeltena Lēpe [Latvian]
Dzeltėnasis Plūdis [Lithuanian]
Dzeltenie Lēpju Ziedi [Latvian]
Eelroot
Elsnoorebloem [Dutch]
European Yellow Pond Lily
European Yellow Water Lily
Flatterdock
Fleur De Grenouille [French]
Frog Lily
Froggy Buckle
Gelbe Teichrose [German]
Gelbe Teichmummel [German]
Gele Plomp [Dutch]
Geltona Vandens Lelija [Lithuanian]
Geltonasis Vandenlelis [Lithuanian]
Geltonasis Vandens Lelija [Lithuanian]
Ghobbe [Dutch]
Giaggiolo Giallo [Italian]
Giele Wetterlilge [Luxembourgish]
Glenów [Polish]
Globe Lily
Gluuggerose [Swiss German]
Gołąbki [Polish]
Gold Watch
Gourde [French]
Grande Nénuphar Jaune [French]
Groblad [Norwegian]
Große Mummel [German]
Gul Näckros [Swedish]
Gul Nøkkerose [Norwegian]
Gul Åkande [Danish]
Gul Åkanna [Swedish]
Gula Nykurrósin [Icelandic]
Gule Åkander [Danish]
Gullkanne [Norwegian]
Gullkolla [Icelandic]
Hennenklötze [German]
Herba De Llac [Catalan]
Hog Lily
Holy-Trinity Lily
Horse Lily
Jaunatne [Latvian]
Jaunoji Plūdė [Lithuanian]
Jeziergwa [Polish]
Kaldiršník [Czech]
Kandeeska [Finnish]
Kandík [Czech]
Kankainen [Finnish]
Kattenstaart [Dutch]
Kelluslehti [Finnish]
Kelp
Keltakurjenmiekka [Finnish]
Keltainen Lumme [Finnish]
Keltainen Ulpukka [Finnish]
Keltamo [Finnish]
Kenkku [Finnish]
Klaarwortel [Dutch]
Kobbelomme [Norwegian]
Köbül [Hungarian]
Kolokwane [Polish]
Konôpka [Czech]
Konvalinkattenstaart [Dutch]
Kosulja [Croatian]
Kubilka [Polish]
Kulta-Alpi [Finnish]
Kuppula [Finnish]
Kupu-Lill [Estonian]
Laķauzis [Latvian]
Large Yellow Pond Lily
Leknín [Slovak]
Leknín Žlutý [Czech]
Lekno Žlté [Slovak]
Lekroos [Dutch]
Leper Lily
Leperlely [Frisian]
Lille Gul Åkande [Danish]
Lilie Wodne [Polish]
Lilia De Apă Galbenă [Romanian]
Lilie Wodne Żółte [Polish]
Lirio Amarelo [Portuguese]
Lirio Amarillo [Spanish]
Ljósakollur [Icelandic]
Lokvanj Žuti [Bosnian]
Lulpuur [Estonian]
Lumină Galbenă [Romanian]
Lumme [Finnish]
Luumekka [Finnish]
Marsh Collaid
Meerblume [German]
Merfljóð [Icelandic]
Mulefoot
Mulefoot Bonnet
Mulefoot Lily
Muleshoe
Mummel [German]
Mummeli [Finnish]
Mumbla [Swedish]
Muna-Allikad [Estonian]
Munalukk [Estonian]
Nenúfar Amarelo [Portuguese]
Nenúfar Amarillo [Spanish]
Nénuphar Jaune [French]
Ninfea Gialla [Italian]
Nimfeya [Russian]
Nufăr Galben [Romanian]
Nuferi Galbeni [Romanian]
Nuphar Jaune [French]
Nymphéa Jaune [French]
Nøkkerose [Norwegian]
Ognjica [Croatian]
Plompe [Dutch]
Plompen [Dutch]
Plutnica [Polish]
Pobel [German]
Pompernikkel [German]
Pompewortel [Dutch]
Pond Lily
Pond Poppy
Pumpekande [Danish]
Qvanne [Norwegian]
Rakko-Alpi [Finnish]
Raudsēklis [Latvian]
Rauwe Pompebloem [Dutch]
Rgeanca [Irish]
Ropa [Polish]
Rubinec [Czech]
Rumenica [Croatian]
Ruskea Ulpukka [Finnish]
Sagittarelle [French]
Sea Rose
Seerose [German]
Seeroos [Dutch]
Serose [German]
Skræppe [Danish]
Slaapbol [Dutch]
Slaapkop [Dutch]
Sleephead
Söbloem [Dutch]
Sølvblad [Danish]
Spadderdock
Spatterdock
Splatterdock
Sterbloem [Dutch]
Stinkende Plomp [Dutch]
Stinkwortel [Dutch]
Stora Neckrosen [Swedish]
Stužkovec Žltý [Slovak]
Suyine Žovtec [Ukrainian]
Tahmea Lumme [Finnish]
Teichrose [German]
Tête De Cheval [French]
Tête De Mort [French]
Threecolor Lily
Thutmaat [Frisian]
Toad Lily
Toulbar [Breton]
Toulbarzh [Breton]
Tranbär [Swedish]
Ulpukka [Finnish]
Vann-Nøkkerose [Norwegian]
Vattengubbar [Swedish]
Vattenkanna [Swedish]
Vattenlelie [Swedish]
Vaxnos [Swedish]
Veelbloemige Waterlelie [Dutch]
Vodena Ruža [Croatian]
Vodná Ľalia Žltá [Slovak]
Vodní Růže Žlutá [Czech]
Vogelkop [Dutch]
Wateraak [Dutch]
Watercan
Water Collard
Waterkannetje [Dutch]
Waterkers [Dutch]
Waterlelie [Dutch]
Waterplomp [Dutch]
Watertulp [Dutch]
Weiße Seerose [German]
Wentelteefje [Dutch]
Yellow Lantern
Yellow Water Lily
Žlutá Stulík [Czech]
Žuta Lokvanj [Serbian]
Žuti Lokvanj [Croatian]

Distribution: Northern Temperate and Subtropical Europe,

Africa, Northern: Algeria
Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
Asia, East: China (Xinjiang)
Asia, Northern: Russia (Altay, Central European Russia, East European Russia, Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, South European Russia, West Siberia, Yakutskiya)
Asia, West: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey
Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
Europe, Eastern: Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
Europe, Northern: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
Europe, Southern: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy (Sardegna), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia, Spain
Europe, Western: Belgium, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland

Biome: Temperate and subtropical

Culture
The wide distribution and long history of human cultivation has led to the extensive number of names and proliferation of folklore attached to this plant.

A common emblem decorating the tops of temple columns in antiquity, and more recently, in the roof bosses of Bristol Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.

Compiler Notes

The names frequently refer to opposite ends of the body or things that are mutually exclusive. “Mulefoot Bonnet” refers to a garment for the head and a foot, which are at opposite ends of the body. This sort of contradiction is the stuff of riddles. Work with this.
The name "yellow lantern" suggests a fantastical environmental use for this plant.
The name "leper lily" is worth exploring further. Was this used as a poultice? Do its leaves decay in a manner suggestive of leprosy? Is it a malefic that can be used to inflict leprosy?

Image Refs

[Img 12 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nuphar_lutea_(habitus).jpg ]

Nuphar pumila, from lilieswatergardens.co.uk.
No listed photographer.

Names:

Dwarf Pond Lily
Aisukiukka [Finnish]
Aisulpukka [Finnish]
Dwarf Water Lily
Dwarf Spatterdock
Dverggul Nøkkerose [Norwegian]
Dvärgnäckros [Swedish]
Dvärgåkanna [Swedish]
Dvärgmummel [Swedish]
Gul Dvergkanna [Norwegian]
Keltainen Konnanulpukka [Finnish]
Kleine Mummel [German]
Kleine Teichrose [German]
Kleiner Teichrose [German]
Konnanulpukka [Finnish]
Least Water Lily
Liden Åkande [Danish]
Lille Gul Nøkkerose [Danish]
Liten Gul Näckros [Swedish]
Mały Grążel [Polish]
Nenúfar Menor [Spanish]
Nenúfar Pequeño [Spanish]
Petit Nénuphar Jaune [French]
Pienet Lumpeet [Finnish]
Pikkulumme [Finnish]
Pikkuulpukka [Finnish]
Pygmy Water Lily
Små Gul Åkande [Danish]
Små Gul Nøkkerose [Norwegian]
Small Yellow Pond Lily
Small Yellow Water Lily
Spatterdock
Stulík Malý [Czech]
Vesiroosi [Estonian]

Distribution:

Asia, Central: Kazakhstan, Mongolia
Asia, East: China (North-Central, South-Central, Southeast, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, Xinjiang), Japan, Korea, Taiwan
Asia, Northern: Russia (Altay, Amur, Central European Russia, Chita, East European Russia, Irkutsk, Kamchatka, Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk, Kuril Is., Magadan, North European Russia, Northwest European Russia, Primorye, Sakhalin, South European Russia, West Siberia, Yakutskiya)
Europe, Central: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
Europe, Eastern: Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine
Europe, Northern: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden
Europe, Southern: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Spain
Europe, Western: England, France, Scotland

Physical Description
A water plant that is, for all intents and purposes, a smaller version of Nuphar lutea. It favors lakes, ponds, and slow-flowing rivers. It blooms July-August and is pollinated by flies.

Considered endangered in France, Switzerland, and the UK.

Medical
We are not a medical website, do not take health advice from us.

Supposedly the root can be consumed to treat digestive issues.

Compiler Notes

The “dwarf” in “dwarf water lily” can be interpreted not only as referring to its size, but as a possessive, identifying these water lilies as "set aside" for use by dwarves, making it an excellent avenue for engaging faeries.

Image Refs

[Img 13 - https://www.lilieswatergardens.co.uk/nuphar-pumila-barerooted-p-3337.html ]

* * * * * * *

Family: Nymphaeaceae
Species: Euryale ferox

Euryale ferox, in the Berlin Botanical Garden, Berlin, Germany.
Own work--Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz.

Names:

Prickly Water Lily
Apel Gila [Malay]
Bhé [Bengali]
Bhè [Assamese]
Canh Dậu Gai [Vietnamese]
Chiao-Pai [Mandarin]
Fox Nut
Gischiz [Lingua Ignota]
Gorgon Nut
Gorgon Plant
Gorgun
Hạt Ấu [Vietnamese]
Jian Shi [Mandarin]
Jiǎo Guǒ [Mandarin]
Jiaobai [Mandarin]
Jiǎojiǎo [Chinese]
Kamal Kakdi [Hindi]
Khorisa [Assamese]
Kyat-Hpo [Burmese]
Lian Jiao [Mandarin]
Makhana [Bengali/Hindi]
Makhanna [Bengali/Hindi]
Makhanā [Nepali]
Onibasu [Japanese]
Qiānshí [Chinese]
Sky Lotus
Tharoi [Manipuri]
Thangjing [Manipuri]
Thanh Lịch [Vietnamese]
Toria [Hindi]
Water Fox Nut

Distribution: Southern and Eastern Asia;

Asia, East: China (North-Central, South-Central, Southeast, Hainan, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria), Japan, Korea, Taiwan
Asia, Northern: Russia (Primorye)
Asia, South: Bangladesh, India (Assam, West Himalaya)
Asia, Southeast: Myanmar

Physical Description
Euryale is a perennial aquatic plant with fully circular leaves. Its flowers have white inner petals and violet outer petals.

Symbolism

Classical Monsters
Named for the gorgon Euryale, of Greek myth.

Purity
As with all water lilies, those with white flowers mean "purity of heart" (per Greenaway).

Medical
We are not a medical website, do not take health advice from us.

Used in Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine (our source’s source is not specific on this matter).

Food
Cultivated widely for its starchy seeds. Its seeds, called “fox nuts” or “makhana,” are edible when dried, and can be eaten raw or cooked. When fried they pop like popcorn. Popped makhana is often eaten with a sprinkling of oil and spices.

It is made into a porridge called kheer.

Compiler Notes

Being native to southeast Asia, it is difficult to take advantage of the name “gorgon plant” unless the setting your story takes place in has evolved beyond the age of sail.
A "fox nut" could be employed in the abstract as the seed of cleverness. As a substitute for the literal, it could be employed as a substitute for fox semen (imitative ritual of a tawdry creation myth?). For fantastically, these might be planted in order to grow foxes from the mud of a pond or river.
Expand on possible folk-geneaology connecting the trickster fox figure to a gorgon mother?
Fable about a fox drowning while trying to get these seeds?
Facilitator of the fox as a liminal figure between the land and bodies of fresh water? Possible psychopomp?
Purple petals in association with [Philosopher's Stone] re: the purple tincture? Expand as an alchemical emblem.

Image Refs

[Img 14 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Euryale_ferox_kz06.jpg ]

* * * * * * *

See Also:

Plants
Flowers
Trees
Ferns
Moss and Lichen [Pending]
Fungi [Pending]
Cladistic Index
Herbal Medicine [Pending]
Resin, Incense, Balsam, and Lacquer [Pending]

Celtis (Hackberry)
Diaspyros lotus (Caucasian Persimmon)
Lotus (Birdsfoot Trefoil)
Nelumbo (Lotus)
Zizyphus (Jujube)

* * * * * * *

-Greenaway, Kate. Language of Flowers. George Routleage and Sons.

-Higley, Sarah L. (2007). Hildegard of Bingen’s Unknown Language: An Edition, Translation, and Discussion. Palgrave Macmillan.

-Lecouteux, Claude, and Jon E. Graham. Dictionary of Gypsy Mythology: Charms, Rites, and Magical Traditions of the Roma. Inner Traditions, 2018.

-Skinner, Charles M. “Myths and Legends of Flowers, Trees, Fruits, and Plants : In All Ages and in All Climes : Skinner, Charles M. (Charles Montgomery), 1852-1907 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming.” Internet Archive, Philadelphia : J.B. Lippincott Co., 1 Jan. 1970, https://archive.org/details/mythslegendsoffl00skin.

Name assistance provided by Claude 3.5 Sonnet.

Damigeron's Dungeon

Thursday, January 23, 2025

Prestigious Plants - Basal Angiosperms - Water Lilies

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