Small, deep-rose blooms, flecked white. Few gardeners cultivate the plant, for it has a weak constitution.

Medium-sized blooms of red, streaked white. Not widely cultivated.

-(See N. flava, which many botanists consider the same species.) N. mexicana is somewhat less hardy than other species of the subgenus to which it belongs. Flowers are small and star-shaped, yellow, with deeper-yellow stamens. Leaves are small, round, deep green, blotched with brown above, purplish-green with black markings on the underside. Flowers are carried above water. Like many of the night-blooming tropicals, this extends itself by runners.

-An Australian variety with the deepest yellow among water-lilies. Stamens are a lighter, brighter yellow. Foliage is pale green, heavily spotted purple. Medium grower.

-Fragrant, free blooming, shell-pink, developed at Three Springs Fisheries and named in honor of my grandmother. Flower is semi double, and has been called the most delicate pink lily ever produced. Medium grower.

Immense globular bloom of deep pink, shading to bright strawberry-red in the center. Petals are broad and full, and stamens bright yellow. Free flowering.

Large, star-shaped blooms with broad, pointed petals of bright rose, flushed white at edge. Sepals are white, stained rose. Flower floats low on the water. Medium grower.

Star-shaped, of deep, velvety rose, heavily shaded crimson. Inner petals faintly spotted white, extreme outer petals almost white, touched rose. Garnet stamens. Foliage is maroon, becoming green with age. This is a favorite among water gardeners, and generally described as "aristocratic." Medium grower.

This water-lily, for which we imported our growing stock from Japan in the 1930's, has an Oriental look in form and color. It thrusts large, star-shaped, cherry-red blooms well above the water. Long, narrow petals give it a distinctive form, and the white sepals and orange stamens contrast prettily with the petal hue. Medium grower.

N. nitida-Rare Siberian species, sought only by collectors. Flowers are small, white, and cup-shaped, with very blunt petals. A botanical oddity; the rootstock is perpendicular instead of horizontal. Small grower.

Much like Newton, but with shorter, blunter petals of a more subdued rose shade.

—The pond-lily species of North America. Its two principal virtues are fragrance and fertility. It crosses readily with other species and has produced a number of accidental hybrids of fine form and color in eastern North America. This is one of the parents Marliac used to produce many of his colorful varieties, which are often freer blooming than N. odorata, but, alas, not always with the odorata fragrance. In species form, N. odorata is medium-sized, pure white, and cup-shaped with a strong, pleasing fragrance. Foliage is pale green. Medium grower.

—An improved form of the above.

. Small, rose-carmine, a very delicate hue. Small grower.

gigantean - Perhaps best known as "the Southern odorata." White blooms from 4 to 7 inches in diameter. Foliage deep green on the upper side, purplish on the underside. Very free grower, particularly in deep water. Blooms fragrant, but lack the overpowering, carrying scent of most odoratas.