Republic of the Philippines - Stamps & Postal History

RP Issues of 2014

HOMEPAGE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014, June 27.  Aquatic Flowers

Litho Offset, Amstar Company, Inc.,  Perf 14

Se-tenant Blocks of Four, Miniature Sheets of 8;  Souvenir Sheets of One

                          

 

Se-tenant Blocks of Four    (26,000) 

10p  Lotus - Nelumbo

10p  Amazon Lily - Victoria amazonica

10p  Water Lily - Nymphaeo

10p  Water Hyacinth - Eichhornia crassipes

 

Miniature Sheets of 8    (13,000)

 

Souvenir Sheets of One   (5,0000

40p  Marsh Marigold Palustris

 

Layout Artist:  Jose Antonio A. Jayme

 

First Day Covers:  Manila

 

            

Phlpost Official FDC Envelopes

 

 

Privately Issued

   


 

AQUATIC FLOWERS

Lotus – Nelumbo.  Nelumbo is a genus of aquatic plants with large, showy flowers resembling the water lily, but not closely related to it. It is commonly called lotus, though this name may be applied to other genera, and there is an unrelated genus Lotus.  The sacred lotus is native to Asia.  It is commonly cultivated, and also used in Chinese medicine and cooking.  Lotus symbolizes purity, beauty, majesty, grace, fertility, wealth, richness, knowledge and serenity.

Amazon Lily – Victoria amazonica (Giant Waterlily).  This species has very large leaves, up to 3 m in diameter, that float on the water's surface on a submerged stalk, 7–8 m in length. The species was once called Victoria regia after Queen Victoria, but the name was superseded. V. amazonica is native to the shallow waters of the Amazon River basin, such as oxbow lakes and bayous.  The flowers are white the first night they are open and become pink the second night. They are up to 40 cm in diameter, and are pollinated by beetles.   The species is highly prized as an ornamental, despite having somewhat particular requirements for successful cultivation.

Water Lily – Nymphaeo.   Also known as Water lily, Pond-lily, White pond-lily, Sweet-scented water lily, Water nymph, Water cabbage.   It is one of the most beautiful of flowers, and commands a ready sale among flower-lovers. The root is the medicinal part, and becomes light, spongy, and friable on drying. It has an astringent and mucilaginous, bitter taste, and readily imparts its virtues to water. The root should be collected, freed from dirt, cut into slices and carefully dried. Nymphaea is said to contain tannic and gallic acids, with starch, mucilage, resin, sugar, tartaric acid, etc. It probably contains several non-toxic alkaloids. 

Water Hyacinth - Eichhornia crassipes.   An aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin, and is often considered a highly problematic invasive species outside its native range.  Water hyacinth is a free-floating perennial aquatic plant (or hydrophyte) native to tropical and sub-tropical South America. With broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves, water hyacinth may rise above the surface of the water as much as 1 meter in height. The leaves are 10–20 cm across, and float above the water surface. They have long, spongy and bulbous stalks. The feathery, freely hanging roots are purple-black. An erect stalk supports a single spike of 8-15 conspicuously attractive flowers, mostly lavender to pink in color with six petals.  One of the fastest growing plants known, water hyacinth reproduces primarily by way of runners or stolons, which eventually form daughter plants. Each plant can produce thousands of seeds each year, and these seeds can remain viable for more than 28 years. 

Marsh Marigold palustris.  Marsh marigold, also known as kingcup, is believed to be one of Britain’s most ancient native plants. It may have been growing since before the last Ice Age and, after the retreat of the icecaps, it proliferated across the watery landscape. It is a spectacular-looking plant, with large rich yellow flowers, each with five petals, and shiny green, heart-shaped leaves borne on long, smooth hollow stems.  A perennial, marsh marigold is in flower from March to August, and is one of the first plants to appear. It has been long regarded as a herald of spring and in the Isle of Man it was the centre of a custom known as ‘bringing in the mayflower’. The flowers were scattered over doorsteps on the eve of May Day.

 

TOPICAL CATEGORIES

 

  • Flowers

 

Articles by Dr. Ngo Tiong Tak

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Issues of 2014