Nymphaea nouchali
Nymphaea nouchali or Nymphaea stellata is a waterlily from the Nymphaceae family of plants. They also call it Red and Blue Water Lily, Blue Lotus, Star Lotus, Manel Flower, or Blue Star Waterlily. In Sanskrit, they call it Utpala, and in Sri Lanka Nil mānel නිල් මානෙල්. It is native to Southern and Eastern Asia. It is the national flower of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Nymphaea nouchali is a day-blooming waterlily. It has round green leaves. They are darker on the back. Some leaves are over the water and others half submerged. This waterlily spreads up to 1.8m or 6ft. The flower is usually violet with a reddish edge. It has about four or five sepals and up to 15 petals. The flower is star-shaped.
They use Nymphaea nouchali in Ayurvedic medicine to treat indigestion. Similar to other waterlilies, the tubers can be used as food.
Also read about Water Lily or Nymphaea.
