Lotus flower (Nelumbo nucifera) in bloom in Mauritius

Nelumbo nucifera is one of two existing species of aquatic plants in the family Nelumbonaceae, sometimes known as sacred lotus, Laxmi lotus, Indian lotus or simply lotus. It is occasionally referred to as a water lily, though this term more frequently applies to Nymphaeaceae family members.

Lotus plants have evolved to thrive in delta regions and the flood plains of slow-moving rivers. Every year, stands of lotus drop hundreds of thousands of seeds to the pond's bottom. The remaining seeds can stay dormant for an extended length of time as the pond silts in and dries up, even though some emerge right away and the majority are eaten by wildlife. When sediments housing these seeds are breached by floodwaters, the dormant seeds rehydrate and start a fresh lotus colony.

The oldest reported lotus germination came from seeds that had been found from a dry lakebed in northern China and were 1,300 years old. Under ideal conditions, the seeds of this aquatic perennial may remain viable for many years. As a result, the Chinese see the plant as a representation of longevity.

Its native range is extremely extensive, stretching from central and northern India (at elevations up to 1,400 m or 4,600 ft in the southern Himalayas), through northern Indochina and East Asia (north to the Amur region; the Russian populations have occasionally been referred to as "Nelumbo komarovii"), with isolated locations at the Caspian Sea. The species is now found in southern India, Sri Lanka, almost all of Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and northern and eastern Australia. However, this is most likely due to human translocations. It has been grown for its edible seeds for about 3,000 years, and it is frequently grown in water gardens. It serves as both Vietnam's and India's national flower. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of India uses the lotus as an emblem. In Mauritius, we can contemplate this flower at Pamplemousses Botanical Garden.

Source : Wikipedia