Nymphea. Nuphar luteum. European Yellow Pond Lily.

Nymphea.—The seed of Nuphar luteum Smith (Nymphaea lutea Linné), European Yellow Pond Lily (Fam. Nymphaeaceae), according to W. Gruning, contains nuphar-tannic acid, C₅₆H₅₆O₃₇, in considerable quantity. (A. J. P., 1883, 96.) Goris and Crete state that the nupharine of Gruning has the composition C₁₈H₂₄O₂N₂. They obtained it from the fresh rhizome of N. luteum. (J. Chem. 8., 1910.) The name Nymphaea has been incorrectly applied also to the American white pond lily, which belongs to the genus Castalia, Castalia odorata (Ait.) Woodv. and Wood. (Nymphaea odorata (Ait.)), Sweet-scented Water Lily. The root of this well-known American plant is very astringent and bitter, and, according to Bigelow, contains much tannin and gallic acid. The root of Castalia alba Presl. (Nymphaea alba L.), or European white water lily, was esteemed anaphrodisiac by the ancients and the tannic acid contained in it has been named nymphae-tannic acid, and the formula C₅₆H₆₈O₃₈ given it. (A. J. P., 1883, 96.)

The Dispensatory of the United States of America, 1918, was edited by Joseph P. Remington, Horatio C. Wood and others.