NELUMBO

Nelumbo

Nelumbo is a genus of aquatic plants with large, showy flowers resembling the water lily, but not closely related to it. It is commonly called lotus, though this name may be applied to other genera, and there is an unrelated genus Lotus. The generic name is derived from the Sinhalese word Nelum. There are only two known living species in the genus. The sacred lotus is native to Asia, and is the better known of the two. It is commonly cultivated, and also used in Chinese medicine and cooking. This species is the national flower of Egypt, India and Vietnam. The American lotus is native to North America and the Caribbean.

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