Giant Amazon Lily Pads
by Dawn Gari
Title
Giant Amazon Lily Pads
Artist
Dawn Gari
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The enormous circular leaves of the giant Amazon water lily, which grow to over 2.5 m across, have upturned rims and are anchored by long stalks arising from an underground stem buried in the mud of the river bottom. The leaves first appear as spiny heads but expand rapidly up to half a square metre per day. The upper surface has a rather quilted appearance and a waxy layer that repels water.
The purplish red under-surface has a network of ribs clad in abundant sharp spines, possibly a defence against herbivorous fishes and manatees. Air trapped in the spaces between the ribs enables the leaves to float. They are so buoyant that they can easily support the weight of a small child, and a mature leaf can support 100 lbs if the load is evenly distributed. In a single season, each plant produces some 40 to 50 leaves, which cover the water surface and exclude light, thus restricting the growth of most other plants.
Uploaded
July 19th, 2015
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