Creature Feature Encyclopedia: Plants

Fragrant Waterlily Nymphaea odorata Blooms: white or pink, 3-5" (7.5-12.5 cm) Leaves:4-12" (10-30 cm) diameter Habitat: ponds and quiet waters

Journal Entry: July 10
by Klint

Water Lilies or lily pads, grow in quiet, muddy-bottomed ponds. I guessed their flat, floating green leaves were about a foot (30 cm) wide. After I tipped over the canoe, I swam around in the lake and noticed that Water Lily stems extend down to the bottom of the lake, where the roots are anchored in the mud. Each pad is a separate plant, and produces a single white or pink flower with a yellow center. They smell good too!

~Salamander Rain: A Lake and Pond Journal © 2001