The Indian Lotus

The Indian Lotus or Nelumbo nucifera is an aquatic perennial plant. Native to Tropical Asia and Queensland, Australia, it is commonly cultivated in water gardens.The roots of lotus are planted in the soil of the pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on top of the water surface.

The leaves may be as large as 60 cm in diameter, while the showy flowers can be up to 20 cm in diameter.

The lotus has the remarkable ability to regulate the temperature of its flowers to within a narrow range just as humans and other warmblooded animals do.

Under favorable circumstances its seeds may remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus germination being from that of seeds 1,300 years old recovered from a dry lake bed in northeastern China.

It is the national flower of India and Vietnam.

The Famous Bahai Temple in New Delhi, India is in the shape of a lotus too.