◆◇院區植物介紹專欄◇◆

  院區植物介紹

    陳建志、趙淑妙（Chien-Chih Chen, Shu-Miaw Chaw）

      本院院區花木扶疏，植物種類豐富。隨著時序的更替，您是否曾
    注意到它們的變化？春日欣喜展葉，夏季發花嬌美繁榮，秋到結實
    豐盛滿足，以及歲末冬寒時，枝幹依然堅強挺立。在每天上下班或
    午餐的途中，相信您已熟悉院區許多植物朋友；只不過也許您不知
    它們的芳名和身世。植物所標本館擬藉《週報》一角，為您介紹院
    內一些較常見的花木，預計陸續提供約二十篇植物簡介，請同仁閱
    覽並指教。

    蓮花與睡蓮Lotus and water lily

      蓮花與睡蓮最主要的辨識特徵，在於蓮花葉片挺出水面，而睡蓮
    的葉片浮於水面。

      The major differences between lotus and water lily are
    their leaves. In the former they are emerging, while in
    the latter floating.

    蓮花（又叫荷花）

    英文名：Lotus

    學名（Scientific Name）：Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.

    科名（Family）：蓮科NELUMBONACEAE

    分布：由俄羅斯、日本、中國、印度到澳洲。全島栽培。院區見於
          生命科學圖書館前之生態池。

    形態特徵：多年生草本；地下莖肉質肥厚稱為「藕」，節間明顯縊
          縮；單葉，圓形盾狀，通常第一至第三葉浮於水面，之後的
          葉片挺出水面；葉柄1-2m長，中空挺立，有短刺。花單一，
          兩性，高挺於葉片之上；萼片早落；花瓣多數，粉紅色或白
          色；心皮多數離生，埋入膨大有孔的海綿質花托內。

      蓮科全世界僅1屬2種，台灣僅此一種，栽培歷史甚早。地下莖（
    蓮藕）與種子（蓮子）是我們常用的食品，葉片則常作為包裹的材
    料。

      Distribution: Southern Russia, Japan, China, India and
    Australia. Widely cultivated in Taiwan. On Academia Sinica
    campus found in the ecological pool of the Life Science
    Library.

      Characteristics: Perennial herbs, the rhizomes edible.
    Leaves simple, centrally peltate, circular; usually the
    first to the third leaves floating, later leaves emerging;
    petioles 1-2m long with short spines.

      Flowers solitary, bisexual, elevated above the leaves on
    long terete peduncles; sepals early falling; petals many,
    pink or white; carpels numerous, free, embedded in the truncate
    surface of the enlarged receptacle.

      In Taiwan there is only one species in the family, widely
    cultivated long time ago. Rhizomes and seeds are used as food
    and leaves as wrappers.

    睡蓮

    英文名：Water lily

    學名（Scientific Name）：Nymphaea sp.

    科名（Family）：睡蓮科NYMPHAEACEAE

    分布：睡蓮這一屬為泛世界分布，在台灣則分布於中、北部低海拔
  的湖泊、池沼。院區見於活動中心前之水池及生命科學圖書館前之生
  態池。

    形態特徵：多年生草本；地下莖直立或橫走；單葉，圓形、卵形或
  橢圓形，浮於水面，葉柄柔弱可使浮葉隨水位調節；花單一，兩性，
  稍突出於水面；花瓣多數，藍色、淡紫色、粉紅色或白色等；心皮多
  數，基部癒合，不埋入花托內。

    睡蓮科在全世界有6屬，其中睡蓮屬約50種；睡蓮這一屬台灣有兩
  個原生種，如今都已不復見於野外，但有許多引進的栽培種。

    Distribution: A cosmopolitan genus. In Taiwan cultivated
  in ponds and lakes at lower altitudes in the northern and
  central parts. On Academia Sinica campus found in the front
  pool of the Center for Academic Activities and in the ecological
  pool of the Life Science Library.

    Characteristics: Perennial herbs with horizontal or erect
  stout rhizomes. Leaves simple, orbicular, ovate or elliptic,
  floating; petioles slender. Flowers solitary, bisexual; slightly
  elevated above the water surface; petals many, blue, purplish,
  pink or white, etc. Carpels numerous, partially united, not
  embedded in the truncate surface of the enlarged receptacle.

    There are about six genera in the family, and about fifty
  species in Nymphaea. Two species of the genus are reported as
  native to Taiwan, but probably extirpated. Many introduced
  species have been widely cultivated on the island.