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GLOSSARY
Lotus seeds
The lotus is a perennial aquatic plant. It bears a large pink or white flower, 20cm in diameter, on a straight stem standing proud of the water.The lotus is distributed widely in the tropical zone of Asia and Australia and it is cultivated in the temperate zones; it also grows wild. The fruit,oval in shape and 2cm long, sinks into the water on ripening. The hard black outer husk contains a white seed and green germule.
The longevity of lotus seed is remarkable; a seed considered to be over 5,000 years old has germinated successfully and produced buds. Although the lotus has a long history in Japan as a decorative plant-over 100 varieties were cultivated during the Edo period (1603-1867) - it is mainly grown today for its food value. The root, the de-husked fruit and the young shoots are edible. The seeds can be made into beads.