MuchOceans, lakes, and swamps covered long of the Earth's surface lakes, and swamps, and the climate was highly humid. In such harsh conditions, most angiosperms (seed plants) couldn't survive, allowing dinosaurs and ferns to dominate the Earth.

In this challenging environment, only a few resilient seeds could withstand the test of nature, among which were the ancestors of the lotus. These ancestors successfully established themselves in this global village!

About a hundred million years later, primitive humans began to appear. In their quest for wild fruits to satisfy hunger, they discovered that the rhizomes and fruits of the lotus plant were edible. Lotus seeds were fragrant with a hint of sweetness, while the lotus root was crisp and refreshing. Since then, the lotus has gradually become a staple human food and vegetable.

The lotus is an aquatic herbaceous plant with overall value, possessing aesthetic appeal and economic benefits. Its flowers bloom in the scorching heat of summer, displaying an elegant and colorful appearance with a distant, refreshing fragrance. In ancient times, it was considered one of the precious flowers in official or private gardens, and in modern times, it is widely chosen as the main theme plant for water gardens.

Its underground rhizomes (lotus roots) and fruits (lotus seeds) are nutritionally rich, serving as traditional vegetables and tonics. Lotus leaves, stems, rhizome sections, lotus pods, stamens, and petals can all be used in medicine. Leaves and stems can also serve as packaging and industrial raw materials.

The lotus belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family and the Nelumbo genus. There are approximately two species worldwide, the other being the yellow lotus flower found in the Americas. It has yellow flowers, a mild fragrance, single petals, round leaves, and a stem (rhizome) that is also edible. However, its plant size is smaller than that of the lotus.

It has been introduced to China and Japan. A so-called "Caspian Sea lotus" also found near the Caspian Sea, with white flowers and blunt petals. It lacks distinct characteristics and is considered just a white-flowered variety of Asian lotus. Most botanists do not recognize it as a separate species.

The lotus possesses specific characteristics of ancient plants. In botany, it is classified as a dicotyledonous plant, but some features are similar to monocotyledonous plants: two cotyledons arranged alternately and stem parts fused with the leaf base. The vascular bundles inside the stem are dispersed, and leaf veins, except for one leading to the leaf tip, all exhibit a dichotomous branching pattern.

Seedlings have an erect stem axis and an underdeveloped main root. At the same time, they retain the requirement for airborne pollinationf terrestrial higher plants.

From this, it can be seen that the ancestors of the lotus once lived on land. Later, to adapt to the aquatic habitat, specific organs of their bodies tended to simplify or degenerate (such as the degeneration of the root system). This is consistent with the characteristic of monocotyledonous plants having an underdeveloped main root composed of adventitious roots. Therefore, the lotus has become a material for botanists to study plant evolution, holding specific value in plant taxonomy.

The fruit of the lotus is commonly known as the lotus seed. The fruit's outer skin has stomata and guard cells on the surface and a robust and dense palisade tissue beneath the epidermis. Below the stomata is an air canal. The air canal in the mature lotus seed skin becomes very small, preventing free entry and exit of air and moisture, even inhibiting microbial invasion.

This tissue structure ensures the longevity of lotus seeds. "Stone lotus seeds," buried in layers of earth for hundreds or thousands of years, can still germinate when sown.

The lotus flower's symbolism includes nobility and purity. It closely associates with figures like fairies in Eastern culture, symbolizing spirituality and transcendence. The lotus is also a symbol in many countries and regions.