睡莲(water lily)
睡莲科淡水植物的统称，有八属，原产於温带和热带。除仅见於亚洲的芡实属（Euryale）外皆多年生。多数种具圆形飘浮叶，叶表面具蜡质，柄长，内有气隙，由肥厚、肉质、匍匐於水下泥中的地下茎上生出。有的具沈水叶。单花顶生，色艳丽，着生於从地下茎生出的长柄上。花杯状，花瓣多数，螺旋排列。有些种的花仅於晨昏开放。多数种具多数雄蕊。果实坚果状或浆果状。有的果实在水下成熟，裂开或腐烂後种子飘走或沈没於水中。睡莲属（Nymphaea）约三十五种。北美白睡莲（N. odorata，即香睡莲）於幼嫩时具淡红色叶，花大、芳香。埃及蓝睡莲（N. caerulea）常出现於古埃及艺术作品中。最大的睡莲科植物为产於热带南美洲的王莲属（Victoria），共两种︰亚马逊王莲（V. amazonica，前称V. regia）及巴拉那王莲（V. cruziana），叶均为浅盘状，直径60～180公分，叶脉粗壮，叶缘向上翻卷，故俗称水盆。睡莲为鱼和野生动物提供食物。但因生长迅速，有时会引起影响排水。常栽培於花园池塘中和温室，用作观赏植物，并培养出很多变种。
English version：
water lily
Any of the freshwater plants in eight genera that make up the family Nymphaeaceae, native to temperate and tropical regions. All are perennial except those in the genus Euryale. Most have rounded, floating, waxy-coated leaves growing atop long stalks that contain many air spaces. Thick, fleshy, creeping underwater stems are buried in the mud. In some species, the leaves are also submerged. Showy, solitary, cuplike flowers with numerous spirally arranged petals are borne at or above the water surface on long stalks. The genus Nymphaea includes the water lilies proper (or water nymphs). The common North American white water lily, pond lily, or toad lily is N. odorata. The lotus of ancient Egyptian art was usually the blue lotus (N. caerulea). The largest water lilies are two species that make up the tropical South American genus Victoria; the Santa Cruz water lily (V. cruziana) has leaves 2-6 ft (60-180 cm) in diameter. Water lilies provide food for fish and wildlife but sometimes cause drainage problems because of their rapid growth. Many varieties have been developed for ornamental use in garden pools and conservatories.
