Nelumbo

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/nelumbo

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the species?Nelumbo nucifera (sacred lotus) and Nelumbo lutea (American lotus)
2. What is the seed viability?Some seeds have germinated after over 1,000 years of dormancy
3. What is a Nelumbo and why is it called a water lily?Nelumbo is a water plant that grows in ponds and lakes. It has big, round leaves and a single flower that pops up above the water.
4. Why do Nelumbo leaves stay clean and dry?The leaves have tiny wax crystals that make water bead up and roll off. This keeps the leaves clean and helps the plant stay healthy.

Angiosperms: Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within a fruit.
Peltate: Describes a leaf where the petiole (leaf stalk) is attached to the blade from underneath, near the center.
Phytoremediation: The use of plants to remove or neutralize pollutants from soil or water.