Yellow Water-Lily

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWater-lilies are aquatic perennial plants. Their flower and leaf stalks are triquetrous, 50-350 cm long, with leaf blades over 15 cm long. The yellow flowers are actinomorphic and fairly large – 4 cm across – composed of multiple thin petals and a large number of stamens. The plant has long – 2-3 m – and thick rootstalks in the bottom of the water body.

It is a widespread species common in sluggish waters: lakes, ponds, quiet rivers. Sometimes forms vast beds. This water-lily flowers in late May and through the summer.

The Russian common name of the plant is connected to the shape of its fruits resembling a squatty jar. The rootstalks of the plant contain alkaloids and many tanning agents, hence their diverse use in medicine.

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