تويت
#Nelumbo_nucifera, زهور وبذور اللوتس للنباتات المائية
also known as:
sacred lotus,
Laxmi lotus,
Indian lotus, or
simply lotus
is one of two extant species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae.
It is sometimes colloquially called a water lily, though this more often refers to members of the family #Nymphaeaceae.
Lotus plants are adapted to grow in the flood plains of slow-moving rivers and delta areas.
Stands of lotus drop hundreds of thousands of seeds every year to the bottom of the pond.
While some sprout immediately, and most are eaten by wildlife, the remaining seeds can remain dormant for an extensive period of time as the pond silts in and dries out.
During flood conditions, sediments containing these seeds are broken open, and the dormant seeds rehydrate and begin a new lotus colony.
Under favorable circumstances, the seeds of this aquatic perennial may remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus germination being from seeds 1,300 years old recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China.
Therefore, the Chinese regard the plant as a symbol of longevity.
It has a very wide native distribution, ranging from India & Sri Lanka (at altitudes up to 1,400 m. in the southern Himalayas),
through northern Indochina and East Asia (north to the Amur region; the Russian populations have sometimes been referred to as "Nelumbo komarovii"), with isolated locations at the Caspian Sea, as well as virtually all of Island Southeast Asia, New Guinea and northern and eastern Australia.
Part of this range (namely South India, Sri Lanka, Island Southeast Asia, and Australasia) may be the result of historic human introductions, but taxonomic authorities consider the species native to these areas.
It has a very long history (c. 3,000 years) of being cultivated for its edible seeds, and it is commonly cultivated in water gardens.
It is the national flower of India and Vietnam.
Cultivation::
The sacred lotus grows in water up to 2.5 m deep. The minimum water depth is about 30 cm.
In colder climates, such a low water level, which heats up more quickly, is helpful for better growth and flowering. Lotus germinates at temperatures above 13°C.
Most varieties are not cold-hardy.
In the growing season from April to September (northern hemisphere), the average daytime temperature needed is 23 to 27 °C.
] In regions with low light levels in winter, the sacred lotus has a period of dormancy.
The tubers are not cold resistant, but can resist temperatures below 0 °C if they are covered with an insulating cover of water or soil.
During winter time, the roots have to be stored at a frost free place.
Planting:
The sacred lotus requires a nutrient-rich loamy soil.
In the beginning of the summer period (from March until May in the northern hemisphere),
a small part of rhizome with at least one eye is either planted in ponds[33] or directly into a flooded field.
There are several other propagation ways via seeds or buds.
Furthermore, tissue culture is a promising propagation method for the future to produce high volumes of uniform, true-to-type, disease free materials.
First step of the cultivation is to plough the dry field. One round of manure is applied after ten days, before flooding the field.
To support a quick initial growth, the water level is held relatively low and is increased when plants grow.
Then a maximum of approximately 4,000 per hectare (1,600/acre) with grid spacing of 1.2 by 2 metres. are used to plant directly into the mud 10–15 cm below the soil surface.
Seeds of Lotus::
The characteristics of seed lotus cultivars are a large number of carpels and seed sets as well as large seeds with better nutritional properties.
Roots of these varieties are thin, fibrous, and do not form good rhizomes.
The main popular cultivars for seed production in China are Cunsanlian, Xianglian 1, Zilian 2, Jianlian, Ganlian 62, and Taikong 36.
The average yield of these cultivars in China is 1.05–1.9 t/ha (0.5–0.8 tons/acre) of dry seeds and weight of thousand seeds between 1,020 to 1,800 g.
Green Jade and Vietnam-Red are recommended cultivars for seed production in Australia.
Flower lotus::
Flower lotus cultivars are used exclusively for ornamental purpose, produce a large number of flowers and the lowest plant height.
Typically, the seed production of flower lotus is poor regarding yield and quality.
Flower types differ in the number of petals (single petals, double petals, or multi-petals) and their colours range from single colour in white, yellow, pink, red to bi-colour, most often of white petals with pink tip or highlights.
The flowers are capable of producing an ink which has been used by artists such as Morrison Polkinghorne to produce abstract images of the landscapes of southern Asia.