Lotus family
Description
A family of aquatic herbs, cosmopolitan in distribution, with large rounded and floating leaves (Nymphaeaceae 2) on long stalks grown from rhizomes. The flowers are large and solitary (Nymphaeaceae 1), with 3 - 6 sepals, 3 to numerous petals, numerous stamens and a superor or half-inferior ovary. The fruit is a spongy berry.
There are 9 genera.
Use
Rhizomes and seeds of the genus Nelumbo are eaten.
Described species:
Nelumbo nucifera, lotus