Nelumbo nucifera

Nelumbo nucifera
Lotus flower
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Plantae
Division:
Angiospermae
Order:
Proteales
Family:
Nelumbonaceae
Genus:
Nelumbo
Species:
N. nucifera
Binomial name
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

Nelumbo nucifera seed head

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.

Election symbol and logo of the BJP
General Secretary Tô Lâm with lotus decorations behind him.

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

A water splash on a Nelumbo nucifera hybrid

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

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.

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

Rhizomes

Lotus 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

Goddess Lakshmi standing on a lotus.

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

References

  1. ↑ "Sacred Lotus". Encyclopædia Britannica. 4 May 2023.
  2. ↑ "Nelumbo nucifera". Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  3. ↑ Dictionary of Gardening. Huxley, Anthony, 1920–1992., Griffiths, Mark, 1963–, Royal Horticultural Society. London: Macmillan Press. 1992. ISBN 978-0-333-47494-5. OCLC 25202760.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  4. ↑ La-ongsri, Woranuch; Trisonthi, Chusie; Balslev, Henrik (2009-08-01). "Management and use of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. in Thai wetlands". Wetlands Ecology and Management. 17 (4): 279–289. Bibcode:2009WetEM..17..279L. doi:10.1007/s11273-008-9106-6. ISSN 0923-4861.
  5. ↑ "The Lotus – Vietnam's National Flower, Diplomat Magazine". 5 September 2021.
  6. ↑ "Hoa sen là quốc hoa của Việt Nam: Tại sao không?". TUOI TRE ONLINE (in vt). 2024-07-14. Retrieved 2025-03-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  7. 1 2 3 Yu, Xin; et al. (2002). "Progress in the Research on Post-harvest Physiology and Storage Techniques of Nelumbo nucifera gaertn [J]". Guangzhou Food Science and Technology. 3: 019.
  8. ↑ Bhat, R; Sridhar, KR; Karim, CC; Young, CC; Arun, AB (2009). "Influence of c-radiation on the nutritional and functional qualities of lotus seed flour". J Agric Food Chem. 57 (20): 9524–9531. doi:10.1021/jf902287e. PMID 19778060.
  9. ↑ Khare CP. Indian Herbal Remedies: Rational Western Therapy, Ayurvedic, and Other Traditional Usage, Botany, 1st edn. USA: Springer, 2004: 326–327.
  10. ↑ Sridhar KR, Bhat R. Lotus: a potential nutraceutical source. J Agri Technol 2007; 3: 143–155.
  11. ↑ Ding, Hui; Shi, Jinghong; Wang, Ying; Guo, Jia; Zhao, Juhui; Dong, Lei (2011). "Neferine inhibits cultured hepatic stellate cell activation and facilitates apoptosis: A possible molecular mechanism". European Journal of Pharmacology. 650 (1): 163–169. doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2010.10.025. PMID 20969858.
  12. ↑ Mukherjee, PK.; et al. (1998). "Pharmacognostical profiles of rhizomes of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn". Ancient Sci Life. 17: 273–279.
  13. 1 2 Wang, J.; Zhang, G. (2010). "The yield and chemical composition of lotus seed on different culture conditions". Hubei J TCM. 32: 75–76.
  14. ↑ "Nelumbo nucifera (sacred lotus)". Kew. Archived from the original on 30 May 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
Fried lotus roots 2pc

Other websites

Media related to Nelumbo nucifera at Wikimedia Commons