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Water Lily (shapla) an aquatic plant
of the genus Nymphaea which has large, disk-like, floating leaves
and showy flowers. There are about 50 species growing in different countries.
In Bangladesh there are two species: N. nouchali (blue variety)
and N. pubescens (white variety). Both species grow abundantly
as a mixed population in almost all shallow natural waterbodies, but the
latter is more frequent and popular in Bangladesh and has been designated
as the national flower.
Another species, N. rubra, is often cultivated
in ponds and tanks as an ornamental plant. Each plant produces several
solitary flowers with long peduncles and blooms above the water surface.
It is seen in abundance in the monsoon season. The peduncle
is a popular vegetable to villagers; the tuberous rhizomes are also eaten.
Seeds on frying are eaten as puffed-grains in some places. The giant water
lily or Amazon water lily (Victoria amazonica) is occasionally
grown in some gardens for its enormous (about 2m in diametre) orbicular
floating leaves. [Mostafa Kamal Pasha]
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