Nature on our doorsteps: Well-adapted Water Lilies

Rosaleen Dwyer is the County Heritage Officer at South Dublin County Council – every week she gives us an insight into nature on our doorsteps and the beautiful biodiversity of its plants and wildlife.

WATER Lilies are very elegant plants whose leaves and flowers float on the surface of ponds, lakes and slow-moving rivers.

There are two species native to Ireland, a white species and a yellow species.

Both are well-adapted to living in their watery world.

The Water Lily’s floating leaves and flowers are connected to long stems.

These reach down to the plant’s root-like rhizomes that are buried in the mud at the bottom of the pond or river.

These stems can measure up to 2 metres long.

White Water Lilies have lovely star-shaped flowers

There are special air cells in the stem tissue that cause the stems to rise up to reach the sunlight and air needed by the leaves and flowers.

The large, rounded leaves also have these air cells, helping them to rest on the surface of the water without sinking.

Like all plant roots, the Water Lily’s underwater rhizome needs oxygen to survive, and they have evolved a special underwater delivery system to achieve this.

The interconnected air cells in the stems form hollow tubes which act like a straw, drawing oxygen in through the leaves at the surface and sending it down to the underwater rhizomes.

The large floating leaves also add an advantage.

The spreading leaves cast shade over the water column below, helping to keep the water temperature cool for the Water Lily.

This shade also makes it harder for other water plants to grow and compete with Water Lily.

Greek mythology tells of the origin of the Water Lily flower.

A young girl named Naia saw the moon’s reflection in a pond and reached in to gather it up, believing it would turn her into a star.

When she unfortunately drowned in the attempt, the moon goddess took pity.

She turned Naia into a lovely floating Water Lily so that her beauty would grace the surface of the water forever.

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