Photo 2016

American lotus

[With 12 "fillers" — http://365project.org/tags/tmfiller — and 4 no-photo posts — http://365project.org/tags/tm-nophoto — this is "photo-of-the-day" #2000.]

Shot this (one-handed) on the lake from my rowing shell. There is an entire "field" of this plant near the place where I often take a water break after my warm-up row. This is the first good chance I've had to photograph a flower up close. And again, not a bad image for being from a point-and-shoot.

Also known as "Yellow lotus" and "Water chinquapin," it has large, cool-looking "leaves" that I've posted before,
» http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2015-09-21
» http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2014-09-16
and I really like how water pools on them.

From Missouri Botanical Garden, http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=c372 » “American lotus, also called yellow lotus and water chinquapin, is a large-flowered marginal aquatic perennial that typically grows 3-6' tall in shallow water and spreads, sometimes aggressively, by thickened rhizomes rooted in the mud. It is native from New York and Ontario west to Minnesota and south to Florida and Texas plus Mexico, Central America, Columbia and the West Indies. In Missouri, it is most commonly found in oxbow lakes and sloughs in the floodplains of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and their tributaries (Steyermark). 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 (“Golden rain tree”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2015-07-03
2 years ago (“Contrasts?”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2014-07-03
3 years ago (“Skipper!”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-07-03
4 years ago (“Still cataloging our garden visitors…”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-07-03
5 years ago (“Desperation (v. 10.0?)”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-07-03

[ DSCN0972AS12x9tm :: P&S ]

3rd July 2016 3rd Jul 16