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 Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.

Synonym	:	Nymphaea nelumbo L
Family	:	Nelumbonaceae
Local name	:	English-Indian lotus Malayalam-Chenthamara
Flowering and fruiting period	:	August-January
Distribution		South and East Asia to far eastern Russia and to Australia
Distribution in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Fresh water ponds and lakes, also grown as an ornamental plant
Uses	:	All parts of Nelumbo nucifera are edible, with the rhizome and seeds being the main consumption parts.Traditionally rhizomes, leaves, and seeds have been used as folk medicines, Ayurveda,Chinese traditional medicine, and oriental medicine.
IUCN status	:	Data deficient
Key botanical characters:  Perennial aquatic rhizomatous herbs. Leaves alternate, orbicular, entire or wavy at margin, glaucous on both surfaces, dark green above, flat when floating, concave or bowl shaped when immersed. Flowers projecting above water level, rose-pink, white or white at base and pink at tips, rarely creamy yellow; minutely prickly. Sepals ovate or elliptic, concave, green when petals white or pinkish green when petals rose-pink. Petals numerous, obovate or elliptic-oblong, yellow. Stamens anthers yellow or orange; connective appendages recurved, white or yellow. Carpels many, oblong-cylindrical, sunk in the cavities of the spongy receptacle; stigmas protruding from receptacle. Fruiting carpels (nuts) ellipsoid, black.