Nelumbo nucifera

Nelumbo nucifera, also known as the Egyptian bean, sacred lotus, Indian lotus, or simply lotus, is a species of plant in the genus Nelumbo sometimes colloquially called a water lily. They float on the surface of the water. They are the national flowers of India and (unofficially) Vietnam. 

The leaves of Nelumbo nucifera contain the flavonol miquelianin and alkaloids such as coclaurine and norcoclaurine, while the whole sacred lotus has bioactive compounds including nuciferine and neferine. 

 Classification 
The lotus is often confused with the true water lilies of the genus Nymphaea.

 Botany 
The roots are planted in pond or river bottom soil, while the leaves float on the water's surface. The leaf stalks can be up to 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) long, allowing the plant to grow in water to that depth.

 Flowers 
The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the leaves. Some cultivated varieties have extraordinary numbers of petals.

 Seeds 
A fertilized lotus flower bears fruit that contains a cluster of 10 to 30 seeds. Each seed is ovoid 1–2.5 cm wide by 1–1.5 cm long with a brownish coat.

 Cultivation 

 Planting 
These plants require a nutrient-rich and loamy soil. The first step is to plough the dry field. One round of manure is applied after ten days, just before flooding the field.

 Harvest 
After two to three months of planting, the stolon is now ready to harvest. The stolon must be harvested before flowering. It is pulled out of the water by pulling and shaking the young leaves in the shallow water.

 Uses of lotus 

 Political 
Nelumbo nucifera is the national flower of India, as well as state flowers of both Haryana and Karnataka. Bharatiya Janata Party uses lotus as its party symbol. Nowadays, as a part of branding strategy, BJP started using its lotus logo in black-and-white in most settings as Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in India only allow black-and-white logos.
Additionally, the lotus is used (unofficially) as the national flower of Vietnam. Anyone who sets foot in Vietnam can see lotus flowers throughout the land. Between May and August of each year, lotus fields all over the country are immersed in a vibrant pink or white as the blossoms are in full bloom.

There are advocates for the contemporary Government of Vietnam to formally designate this species as the national flower, citing straw polls indicating very high approval from the Vietnamese citizens.

 Culinary 

 Rhizomes 
The rhizomes of lotus are eaten as a vegetable in several Asian countries, extensively in China, Japan, India, Pakistan (Sindh), sold whole or in cut pieces, fresh, frozen, or canned. They are fried or cooked mostly in soups, soaked in syrup or pickled in vinegar (with sugar, chili and garlic). Lotus rhizomes are crunchy and are a classic dish at many banquets, where they are deep-fried, stir-fried, or stuffed with meats or fruits.

When dried, lotus rhizomes can also be made into flour.

 Pips 
Lotus pip tea is consumed in Korea.

 Seeds 

Fresh lotus seeds are nutritious but also suffer from food contaminants. Therefore, mostly dry lotus seed-based products are found on the market.

Dry stored lotus seeds are sensitive to moisture and mold, so researchers continue to explore new ways to preserve fresh lotus seeds, such as radiation processing.

 Health use 

 Medicine 
All parts of Nelumbo nucifera are edible, with the rhizome and seeds being the main parts. Traditionally rhizomes, leaves, and seeds have been used as medicine.Khare CP. Indian Herbal Remedies: Rational Western Therapy, Ayurvedic, and Other Traditional Usage, Botany, 1st edn. USA: Springer, 2004: 326–327.Sridhar KR, Bhat R. Lotus: a potential nutraceutical source. J Agri Technol 2007; 3: 143–155.

In Chinese medicine, seeds are used as lian zi xin (蓮子心).

 Rhizomes 
The rhizomes are 60–14 cm (23.6–5.5 in) long, 0.5–2.5 cm (0.20–0.98 in) in diameter, yellowish white to yellowish brown, smooth, and with nodes and internodes.

 Seeds 
Lotus seeds are usually oval-shaped, with sizes varying according to varieties. They are generally 1.2–1.8 cm long, with diameters ranging from 0.8 to 1.4 cm and a weight of 1.1–1.4 g.

After lotus seeds have been peeled, you can already eat them (they are considered edible). They are rich in nutrients and can be dried for storage. Their nutritional values can differ due to culture environments and varieties.

 Chemical composition 
As mentioned earlier, the leaves of lotus have miquelianin and several alkaloids such as coclaurine and norcoclaurine, while the entire plant itself contains compounds like nuciferine and neferine.

 In culture 

 Cultural and religious significance 

The sacred lotus carries cultural and spiritual significance. It's a sacred flower in both Hinduism and Buddhism.

 Related pages 

 Nelumbo lutea — another lotus native to North America
 Nelumbo aureavallis — an extinct species of lotus
 Nelumbo

 References 

Category:Proteales
Category:Aquatic plants
Category:Medicinal plants
Category:State symbols of Haryana
Category:State symbols of Karnataka


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