荷花
Scientific name: Nelumbo nucifera
English common name: Lotus
Chinese common name: 蓮花、荷花、芙蕖、芙蓉、菡萏
Family: Nymphaeaceae 睡蓮科
Morphology of the plant:
- root: Belongs to the axial root system of adventitious roots. Grows in clusters at the nodes of underground stems. It is branched from the thin-walled cells of the underground stem. It is about 10 cm long, with about 130-180 nodes per node. It has branch roots (lateral roots) but no root hairs. It is usually white, and sometimes maroon roots appear.
- stem: Underground stem. Knotted, cylindrical and semi-spun shaped. In autumn, the underground stems swell into lotus roots
- leaf: The leaves grow from underground stem nodes and stand upright out of the water. It is oblate or shield-shaped, with a low center and radial veins. There are fine protrusions on the surface, and water droplets will form on it.
- flower: Emergent growth. Calyx 4~5 pieces. Flowers with separate petals, many petals, obovate, mostly red, light red, or white. There are about 200 stamens, yellow anthers, and short styles.
- seed: The fruit is round, about 1 to 1.2 cm long, ovoid, with hard, dark black skin, thick white cotyledons, and green embryo. It is called lotus seed.
- fruit: The diameter of the fruit base is 5~10 cm, and it is in the shape of a short inverted cone. It is called a lotus pod.
Flower(unbloomed) &Leaves
Fruit &Seeds &Leaves
How does this plant adapt to an aquatic environment?
Lotus has a special adaptation that allows it to live in water: The leaves are flat hence they help in floating. The flowers are coated in a waxy substance that repels water, allowing them to float on the surface. The roots specialized to take in oxygen from water. Air sacs present also help in floating.
Distributions
Native to Indochina. Today, it is distributed in Asia, India, China, the Soviet Union, North Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, southern Asia and Oceania, and Australia. Taiwan was introduced from South China in 1661 and from Japan in 1905. Commonly found in ponds or paddy fields.
Distribution around the world
Reproduction method
Seed propagation
Lotus seeds have a hard shell and cannot easily be penetrated by water, so they need to be fully soaked in water. The seeds will not germinate until the peel rots (at least 2 months or even a year) and the embryo absorbs water.
Rhizome propagation
Take the segmented section of the rhizome, and lateral buds, roots, stems, leaves, etc. will grow.
Root propagation
Lotus root propagation method: The first three nodes of the lotus root are used as seed lotus roots and are planted in the field. The new leaves on the nodes will continue to elongate and unfold into complete leaves. Roots will grow from the new nodes of the terminal buds and lateral buds.
Pollination
Pollination in the lotus plant occurs by insects (entomophily). Bees and beetles are attracted to fragrant flowers of the lotus plant and aid in their pollination.
Habitat
The flower blooms at five or six o'clock every morning, and the lifespan of a flower is 3 to 4 days. Flowering period is from May to July. Solitary inflorescence.
Nelumbo nucifera found in warm temperate to tropical climates, in a range of shallow wetland habitats, including floodplains, ponds, lakes, pools, lagoons, marshes, swamps and the backwaters of reservoirs.
Purpose
Food
Medicinal
- This slightly bitter leaf has a lot of health benefits, but its main properties are related to helping your liver and spline detox and remain healthy. Modern researches have shown that the extract from Lotus leaves can even decrease high blood pressure, and reduce muscle spasms.
- 根莖(蓮藕)：止血，散瘀。
- 葉基部(荷葉蒂)：清熱袪暑，止血，安胎。
- 葉(荷葉)：解暑清熱，生發清陽，散瘀止血。
- 花蕾(蓮花)：清熱，散瘀止血，活血止血，袪濕消風，治跌打嘔血。
- 成熟花托房(蓮房)：消瘀，止血，袪濕。治血崩、痔瘡。
- 雄蕊(蓮鬚)：清心，益腎，澀精，止血。治遺精，血崩，瀉痢。
- 果實或種子(蓮子)：養心，益腎，補脾，澀腸。治遺精，久痢。
- 成熟種子之綠色胚芽(蓮子心)：清心，袪熱，澀精。治心煩，口渴，遺精，目赤，吐血。
- 花梗、葉梗汁液：治嘔吐及腹瀉。
- Lotus root has complex carbs, several nutrients, minerals, vitamins, and fibre, which provide numerous health benefits. As a result, it aids in weight management, digestion, immunity, excretion, and inflammation healing. It also improves stress management by improving blood circulation and heart health.
- 根狀莖（藕）作蔬菜或提製澱粉（藕粉），蓮藕富含營養，可生食或炒或煮食，亦可醃漬、製罐；種子供食用。
- 葉、葉柄、花托、花、雄蕊、果實、種子及根狀莖均作藥用；藕及蓮子為營養品，葉（荷葉）及葉柄（荷梗）煎水喝可清暑熱，藕節、荷葉、荷梗、蓮房、雄蕊及蓮子都富有鞣質，作收斂止血藥。葉為茶的代用品，又作包裝材料。