Life Cycles of a Water Lily Plant
The water lily is a true aquatic plant that keeps its blooms above the water. Water lilies can be either day or night blooming. Like most bog plants, water lilies prefer nutrient-rich growing media. Water lilies are best suited to calm, fresh water. This plant is also known as a water lotus. Does this Spark an idea?
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Pollination
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Most water lilies are pollinated by beetles. On the first day when the lily blooms, the pollen is not released. Instead, the center of the flower fills with water and covers its female parts.
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Fertilization
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Pollen falls from the petals into the water, dissolves and fertilizes the flower. A few days after the flower is pollinated, the flower tightens up and submerges in the water.
Underwater Development
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The water lily fruit develops under water. The fruit is a spongy, loose, triangular-shaped pod filled with berries that are enclosed in arils, or fleshy cover.
Seeding and Germination
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When ripe, up to 2,000 seeds are released from each pod. The seeds, which contain air pockets, then float with the water's current. The seeds eventually become waterlogged, and sink into the mud to germinate. The seeds germinate into creeping rhizomes, which can grow to massive sizes.
Formation of the Stalk
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A stalk sprouts toward the water's surface. The stalk is hollow and transports air from the surface to the rhizomes below.
Development of the Leaves and Blooms
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Leaves then sprout from the stalk which have a waxy, water-repellent upper side, and an underside that clings to the water's surface. A bud also forms which will produce a flower that is either generally white (female) or purplish (male).
References
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of David Blaikie
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