Nymphaea

Nymphaea Sub- genus Brachyceras. www.victoria-adventure.org

Nymphaea is a genus of aquatic perennials with showy flowers (white, blue, pink or yellow, often fragrant), including the white water lily and the Egyptian Lotus. Linnaeus (1753) originally described the genus Nymphaea L. to include three units: the yellow water-lilies (currently Nuphar), white water-lilies (currently Nymphaea) and water lotus (Nelumbo Adans currently.). They are growing from an underwater noise stem cells, which are buried in the mud and sends down rootlets for anchorage.

3 Nymphaea ‘Little Sue’www.rhs.org.uk
The rhizomes of Nymphaea are astringent and antiseptic. It contains alkaloids (nymphaeine and nupharine), resin, glycosides and tannins.
Israel was a meeting place for the southernmost limit of distribution for the white water lily (Nymphaea alba) and the northernmost limit of the blue water lily (Nymphaea caeruleae).

Nymphaea caerulea Seeds. www.bidorbuy.co.za
That is how these beautiful flowers came to be. Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso, 43 BCE - 17CE), a Roman poet, twice recounted an anecdote of Priapus's foiled attempt at a sleeping nymph: once he told the nymph Lotis and again, calling it a "very playful little tale" he retold it of Vesta, the Roman equivalent of Hestia.

The Nympyhaea caeruleae was by far the largest flower in ancient Egypt. Egyptians saw that the blue water lily opened up each morning and each afternoon would close again only to open again every day. Since Atum was an early solar deity in Egyptian mythology, Nefertum (literally meaning young Atum) represented sunrise thus Atum was primarily understood as the setting sun. Since Atum had arisen from most waters in the bud by an Egyptian blue water lily (Nymphaea caeruleae) Nefertum were associated with this flower.

Egyptians equated the Creator-God of Blue Lotus, which is believed to have occurred at a given time from the original ocean. The sun god Re was created by emerging from a lotus floating on the original waters, which are born from a flower motifs womb. As a symbol of rebirth for the Kemet (one of the original names for "Egypt"), the Lotus was closely associated with images of funerary and Osirian cult. The Four Sons of Horus (a group of four gods), was often shown standing in front of Blue Lotus Osiris (god of the dead).


Rubra Water Lily. www.aquahobby.com
The use of Nymphaea caeruleae and Nymphaea Lotos in ceremonies and rituals depicted in the frescoes in the Street of Tombs, and in very early Papyrus rolls. The most important of these was the roll of Book of the dead, a description of the ancient Egyptian conception of life and after a session of the anthem, spells, and instructions to allow the deceased to pass through obstacles in the after life. Roll Cursor says, "Rise like Nefertem of blue water lily, the nostrils of Re, and appears on the horizon every day."

The blue water lily was a symbol of rebirth after death. The Egyptians looked forward to their souls come to life "as a water lily reopening", thinking that the deceased died as a water lily closed awaiting the opening of Sunday morning.

The Tomb of Tutankhamun was found a wooden sculpture depicting the moment. Nymphaeas was used to make WREATHS kättesaadav mummy of Ramses II, dating back to 2000BC.

It was Dioscorides, who called the two types of water lily Nymphaea below, called the white kind Nymphaea, and the yellow kind Nuphar.

The dried flowers of certain species of Nymphaea sometimes smoked for a tea, or macerated in alcohol for a mild sedative effect.