Water lilies are the quintessential aquatic garden plants; for many people water features are "water-lily ponds". These ubiquitous livestock are well-deserving of their popularity; hardy, long-lived, with blossoms of almost every color, water lilies abound in their practical and esthetic value to the aquatic gardener. Taxonomy, Relation to Other Groups: Though there are about sixty-five species of water lilies in seven genera found worldwide, the genus Nymphaea ("nim-figh-ah") is the genus of modern water lilies, in the similar named family Nymphaeaceae. I like this choice of the Latin word for "nymphs" for water lilies. How appropriate that these plants are named for minor goddesses that inhabit fountains and rivers; a perfect tie-in with the aquatic environment.

Nymphaea are grouped by scientific classification in the larger category, order Araceae. You know other "arum" members; these were some of the first terrestrial flowering plants, invading the land back in the Devonian Period (some 180 million years ago). The stately magnolias are also arums; look at their and the water lily's large flowers. Both share ancient characteristic "redundancy" in their parts; multiple petal, sepals, and each is 'perfect', bearing both pistils and stamens.

Origins, Size, Distribution: We owe the greatest debt to Monsieur Latour-Marliac of Southern France for the hybridization and introduction of @ 90% of exist ...

Continue to read all article at : http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/h2oliliesart.htm