Finally back on the water

The shell has been repaired for now and today was first time on the water in about 3½ months, although there was a scary moment when I launched. The lake level is quite low, so the dock (non-floating) is not usable. I made the mistake of walking down the concrete ramp with the boat over my head. Once I got to the water, I began to slide on the algae and diatoms. The only way I could stop was to bring the boat down and set it in the water. Today's recovery and tomorrow's launch will be done off to the side…

These leaves are likely “Nelumbo lutea” (“American lotus”, “Yellow lotus” and “Water chinquapin”). The leaves grow to 2' in diameter and many of these are about that large.

From Missouri Botanical Garden, http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=282906 » “This unusual plant features rounded, parasol-like, upward-cupped, waxy green leaves (to 2' across) that appear above the water on long petioles which attach at the middle of the leaf underside (peltate). Large, cupped, fragrant, pale yellow flowers (8-12" diameter) appear in summer on stiff stems above the foliage. Each flower has a distinctive showerhead-like central turbinate (inversely conical) receptacle (2-3" diameter) consisting of pistil-containing cavities. Each flower blooms for about three days, opening in the morning and closing at night each day. After bloom, nut-like fruits begin to form imbedded in the flat surface of the receptacle. Receptacles turn brown, harden and acquire a woody-like texture as they dry (suggestive of wasps’ nests). Eventually the receptacle breaks off and falls into the water where it floats as it slowly disintegrates, distributing its seed as it goes. The young leaf stalks/leaves, the rootstock and the seeds were eaten by native Americans. Colonies of this plant provide excellent habitat and shelter for wildlife. N. lutea (American lotus) of the Americas is very similar in appearance to N. nucifera (sacred lotus) of Asia and Australia, except the former has yellow flowers and the latter has pink flowers.”

Species page at PhytoImages, http://phytoimages.siu.edu/cgi-bin/dol/dol_terminal.pl?taxon_name=Nelumbo_lutea&rank=binomial

1 year ago (“Pearl Crescent”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2014-09-21
2 years ago (“Photo 1,000”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-09-21
3 years ago (“I wonder what our kids will look like…”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-09-21
4 years ago (“Beneath the ‘webs’ we weave…”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-09-21

[ DSCN8469S12x8tm :: P&S ]

[Danette Thompson]

Well done.