Another water lily photo, this one with a guest star. Can anyone find the critter taking a rest in the shade of the lily's bloom? Again, I am unsure of the exact type of water lily. It could be a Director Moore, Panama Pacific, or William McLane...it is just too close for me to call. Thanks again to all of you who have been commenting on these shots, and to the number of you who put my Water Lily Zoom into their Favorites list. I am honored. ----- Water Lily Trivia - In 2002 scientists in north-east China discovered a fossilised flower that blossomed about 125 million years ago. Called "the mother of all flowers", Archaefructus sinensis resembles the modern water lily. - Egypt is known as the starting place of the ancient civilizations. "A water lily" has been Egypt's national flower for about 4000 years. It can be seen anywhere on the river Nile, especially the "blue water lily". The blue water lily has been loved by Egyptians for a long time. It was also considered the "God of the Resurrection", so it is sometimes laid on the tomb of "Mica". A few pieces of blue and white water lily flower picture have been found in the tomb of Rames II (ca. B.C. 13th century). Most of the Arab countries have followed Egypt's custom of adopting a water lily as the national flower. - The lotus is a plant that is similar to the water lily. The lotus has leaves that float above the surface and is held above the water on long stalks. The lotus is a plant group made up of mainly herbs and subshrubs. - The largest water lily is the Giant Water Lily. It can be found in the Amazon. It can grow to be 2 feet to 6 feet in diameter. It provides food for fish and wildlife. The only problem is that it causes drainage problems because of its large size. - The Yellow Lily's roots are sometimes eaten. White Lily's roots are used to treat sore mouths. The smoke from some lilies burning roots has been used to repel insects. - Claude Monet painted many paintings of water lilies. He got the idea because they flourished in his water garden and he enjoyed the plants' beauty and difference. - Although there is a botanical distinction, the lotus and water lily are often used interchangeably in folklore and mythology. Generally lotus refers to the water lily of India or the plant depicted in sacred art and stories, while the water lily is more often used by naturalists. As an example of the confusion, the World Book actually has two entries, one for the lotus, one for the water lily, both clearly referring to the same plant and neither referring to the other entry. - Water lilies prefer to grow in quiet water less than six feet deep. ----- Many thanks for your copious comments on my last upload, Violaceous Water Lily.

----- Olympus C-8080WZ & PhotoshopCS. (634)