Blue Lotus
Nymphaea nouchali Burm.f.
Nymphaea nouchali, also known as Blue Lotus, is a species in the Nymphaeaceae family. It is native to Asia and has a wide distribution across regions such as Australasian, Oriental (Indomalaya), Palaearctic, and several countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The species is recognized as the national flower of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It is often associated with the variety N. nouchali var. caerulea, known as the blue Egyptian lotus.
Description
Nymphaea nouchali is a water lily species commonly referred to as Blue Lotus, star lotus, or red water lily. It belongs to the genus Nymphaea in the Nymphaeaceae family. The species is native to southern and eastern Asia and is found in various habitats across its extensive range. It has been historically linked to the blue Egyptian lotus, N. nouchali var. caerulea. Taxonomic confusion has occurred in the past, with the name mistakenly applied to Nymphaea pubescens. The species is notable for being the national flower of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Other common names
Blue Lotus
Distribution
Australasian · Oriental (Indomalaya) · Palaearctic · KM · MV · MG · Global · Afghanistan · Andaman Is. · Angola · Argentina Northeast · Ascension · Assam · Bangladesh · Botswana · Brazil Northeast · Brazil Southeast · Brazil South · Burundi · Cambodia · Cape Provinces · Chad · China South-Central · China Southeast · Comoros · Congo · Cook Is. · Costa Rica · Egypt · Ethiopia