Lotus

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Lotus

Lotus

Lotus flower

Lotus flower

Lotus habit

Lotus leaf

Lotus fruit

Lotus

Lotus fruit

Lotus fruit

Lotus fruit

Lotus leaves

Lotus habit

Lotus leaf

Lotus flower

Morphology

Stem

Rhizomes, horizontal, to 50 feet long, rooted in mud; slender, elongated, 1/4 to 1/3 inch in diameter, with terminal portions later in growing season much enlarged, thick, banana-like.

Leaves

Arise directly from rhizome; blade floats on surface or held above water, circular, to 24+ inches in diameter, glabrous, often waxy, prominent veins radiate from center, often branching near margin; center depressed or cupped; margins entire; stalk attached at center of lower surface

Inflorescence

Solitary flower, held above water on long, stout stalk.

Flower

Showy, 4 to 10 inches across, not particularly fragrant; sepals and petals similar, numerous, 1/2 to 5 inches long, pale yellow or cream; tips blunt or rounded; stamens 100-200, arranged spirally; pistils numerous, embedded in pits in receptacle; receptacle to 4 inches in diameter, top flat, base tapering, when mature becoming dry, hard, brown, nodding.

Fruit

Nut-like, 25-30, somewhat spherical, 2/5 to 3/5 inch in diameter, hard, 1-seeded.

Ecology

Habitat

Still water of lakes and ponds, marsh pools, slow-flowing streams; water less than 36 inches deep.

Distribution

East 2/3 of Kansas.

Reproduction

When mature, the receptacle nods downward, allowing the fruits to drop into the water. Germination takes place after the tough shell of the fruit is softened by soaking for an extended period of time. The seeds can remain dormant for many years prior to germinating.

Practical Information

Forage Value

Birds and marsh animals eat the seeds and tubers.

Uses

Native Americans peeled and boiled the tubers and ate them as vegetables; cooked the tubers with meat, corn, or beans; sliced and dried the tubers and stored them for winter use; used the seeds in soups and cooked with corn; and roasted the seeds like chestnuts. Many Great Plains tribes attributed mystic powers to the plant.

Additional Notes