‘Manel’ (Nymphaea nouchali)
The National Atlas of Sri Lanka (1st Edition published in 1988 by the Survey Department - Chapter FLORA by A.H.M.Jayasuriya, pp. 52-53) clearly mentions the National Flower of Sri Lanka with a colour photograph of the correct species (This flower was photographed in February 1988 and the location was the drying up and muddy periphery of the Hinukkiriyawa wewa between Habarana and Kekirawa). The 2nd Edition of the National Atlas (2007) also mentions the National Flower of Sri Lanka, although the original photograph was not reproduced (Chapter FLORA by A.H.M Jayasuriya, p.76).
Evidently, the earliest botanical illustration (line diagram) of Nymphaea nouchali appears in Van Rheede’s Hortus Malabaricus: Vol. 11, plate 27, p.53. (1692). This is an illustrated inventory of plants growing in and around Cochin, Kerala State, India prepared by this Dutch Commander stationed in India at that time. Botanical names, such as Nymphaea nouchali, did not exist then and the illustration also had a local Malayalam name ‘Cit-ambel’ (meaning entangled water-lily). However, today it is known by ‘Ambel’ in Kerala.
One of the earliest botanical paintings of the flower (named as Nymphaea stellata and with its English name, Star water lily) appears in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine: plate 2058 (1819). The flower was drawn from a plant cultivated in early 19th Century in UK, possibly in the Chelsea Botanic Garden. A paper titled Wild Flowers of Ceylon by J.E. Senaratna published in Tropical Agriculturist Vol. 110, p.289 (1954) has an accurately coloured painting of ‘Manel’ (named as Nymphaea stellata). A recently published book by J & J de Vlas [Illustrated field guide to the flowers of Sri Lanka, p. 84 ( 2008)] gives the correct name and a colour photograph of Nymphaea nouchali.
The species occurs naturally in Sri Lanka, India and extends to New Guinea. Variation in flower colour and size has been noted by many botanists. J.D. Hooker has even recognized three taxonomic varieties occurring in India based on flower colour and size [Flora of British India, Vol. 1, p.114 (1875)]. Such varieties are also believed to occur in Thailand (see elsewhere). With reference to Sri Lankan ‘Manel’, Henry Trimen (1893) and M.D.Dassanayake (1996) also have noted these variations. This warrants close research on different populations of this species to see whether such varieties do occur in Sri Lanka.
‘Nil manel’ is possibly Nymphaea caerulea, an exotic species that seems to have been introduced (illegally) to Sri Lanka in the late 20th century. Incidentally, the National Botanic Gardens were not instrumental in this introduction. This is known by names such as Blue water lily, Blue lotus, Egyptian lotus and Blue lotus of Egypt and it is native in Egypt extending to Central Africa [Tropica by A.B.Graf, p. 1041 (1978)]. Its species name, caerulea appropriately indicates the colour of its flower [caeruleus means blue, especially the blue of the Mediterranean sky at midday [Botanical Latin by W.T. Stern (1966)]. Nymphaea caerulea had been regarded as the National Floral Emblem of Egypt [Tropical Planting and Gardening by H.F. Macmillan, 6th Edition, p.601 (1991)]. However, Nymphaea lotus (Egyptian white lotus or White lotus) is now considered as the National Flower of Egypt [http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/flowers/pcd11.html].
J. & J.de Vlas [Illustrated field guide to the flowers of Sri Lanka (2008)] has given the scientific name, Nymphaea nouchali variety caerulea, to the Blue water lily (‘Nil manel’) that occurs in Sri Lanka. This name cannot be accepted as no such variety or name exists, and the correct name for this plant is Nymphaea caerulea.
Due to its relatively intense blue-purple, larger and showy flowers, the exotic ‘Nil manel’ apparently has displaced the native and relatively less showy ‘Manel’ in the public mind and in official acceptance / use as evidenced by its appearance in so many official documents.
