What is unique about Victoria amazonica?
Victoria amazonica is the world’s largest water lily and among the largest in the Nymphaeaceae family. The first discovery was in 1801 in Bolivia and it is indigenous to the Amazon River basin’s shallow waters. This species is the national flower of the Republic of Guyana and appears on the country’s coat of arms.
Where can you find a Victoria amazonica?
The well-known Amazon water lily, Victoria amazonica, has a vast range in South America, from Bolivia in the south to Guyana in the north. Its lesser known relative is the Santa Cruz water lily, Victoria cruziana, found in wetlands further south in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
What is the largest water lily in the world?
Victoria amazonica
Description. The Victoria amazonica has very large leaves, up to 3 m (10 ft) in diameter, that float on the water’s surface on a submerged stalk, 7–8 m (23–26 ft) in length, rivaling that of the green anaconda, a snake local to its habitat. It is the largest waterlily in the world.
How much can a Victoria amazonica hold?
A single Victoria pad can grow to over seven feet in diameter and hold up to 300 pounds.
Are giant water lilies poisonous?
All water lilies are poisonous and contain an alkaloid called nupharin in almost all of their parts, with the exception of the seeds and in some species the tubers.
What eats a giant water lily?
The black aphid and aquatic leaf beetle both feed on water lilies, according to Colorado State University Extension. Animals such as beavers, ducks and deer also eat parts of the water lily. Fish, such as grass carp, sometimes eat water lilies as well.
Can you stand on a giant water lily?
Since the plants are rare and deceptively delicate, people are only allowed to “sit” on the pads for about a minute before moving on. Staff also puts down a plastic barrier to protect the leaves, Metro reported.
How much weight can a Victoria water lily hold?
about 65 pounds
Victoria Lilies are Huge and Strong What’s more, these leaves are really strong and can easily hold the weight of a small human (up to about 65 pounds).
Can you stand on a lily pad?
Can lily pads support human weight?
Huge Victoria Water Lily leaves are so large that small adults and children up to about 140 pounds can actually sit on them.
What is under a lily pad?
What Lies Beneath. The underside of a lily pad looks vastly different than the top. A system of stems and tubes run underneath the lily pad. These tubes, which are connected to openings called stomas in the top of the leaves, help the pad float and collect oxygen through the stoma.