Blue Lotus

[Guest guest]

I received some lovely blue lotus concrete from Samara Botane recently and I am

wondering if

anyone has some suggestions for me on what to blend it with. What does it get

along well

with? It is so crisp and ethereal and I certainly don't want to overpower it so

I'm tossing

around some ideas for a blend but haven't settled on anything. Right now I am

finding it so

intriguing on its own that I am a little hesitant to even play with it. Thanks

in advance for any

suggestions!

[Guest guest]

Dear List,

I recently had an inquiry to clarify the origin of our blue lotus

concrete/absolute and it lead to expand on differences between Nelumbonaceae

and Nymphaeaceae. I think it will be of use to you perfumers as you source

materials.

This is a subject that botanical classifiers have been pondering for years.

Most experts now believe that, due to the great differences between

rhizomes, flowers and leaves of lotuses and waterlillies, lotuses should be

in a family by themselves, Nelumbonaceae, rather than with the family

Nymphaeaceae. Nelumbo nucifera is now considered native to Asia, the

Philippines, N. Australia, and Egypt . . . however, it probably originated

and was introduced from India about 500 B.C. Even though most of my

research finds that the blue lotus of the Nile and the blue lotus of India

are not classified Nelumbo, but Nymphaea caerulea and Nymphaea nouchali

(syn. stellata), respectively, I have communicated extensively with the

producers of this product to ascertain its botanical origins. My source for

this material is from a family of Ayurvedic physicians who harvest wild

stands of aromatic plants, as well as grow their own aromatic crops in

various regional locations and primarily use them to produce medicines.

They occasionally broker large sales to cosmetic and pharmaceutical

companies here in the U.S. and I am privy to buybacks of materials these

large companies over purchase. If not for this, I would never have these

items in stock; they are much too expensive and only offered in larger

quantities than I usually am able to purchase. My friend, McMahon

(see last paragraph) also confirms that the blue lotus from India is Nelumbo

nucifera.

This particular Nelumbo grows in a fairly remote region of Kashmir (North of

India), is called commonly called nouchali by native people. These plants

exhibit a number of racial variants in different shapes, sizes and color,

ranging from shades of pink to light purple/blue and white and having

anywhere from 16 to 160 petals. The morphology and color traits are

influenced by natural and anthropogenic activities like disposal of domestic

and industrial effluents, invasion of aquatic weeds, muddy conditions, and

in some areas insecticides and pesticides, as well as drainage, floods and

other developmental activities. This has caused sometimes radical

biochemical changes in all aquatic plants. A shrinking of the water bodies

has also threatened the habitat and distribution of Nelumbo at alarming

rates. Since these are grown remotely, I can surmise that they are not

affected by the adverse conditions in more urban areas, and perhaps are

descended from the original Indian blue lotus. Can I say that for sure.

No. I have done as much investigation as I can without actually traveling

to this remote region to see it in person. Additionally, I am acquainted

with a fairly well known botanist who has traveled in the region (although

not specifically to the exact location where these plants originate) and he

has confirmed seeing Nelumbo in varying shades of purple/blue.

Nelumbo differs from its Nymphaeaceae cousin because of its differing leaf

structure. I have also determined from the growers, further morphological

differences that would confirm our product is Nelumbo. A pattern of floral

development distinguishes the Nelumbonaceae from Nymphaeaceae (both basal

angiosperms). Nelumbo have the important features of only two sepals,

development of an androecial ring meristem and an apocarpous gynoecium

composed of ascidiate carpels hat become imbedded in an expanded

receptacle. Secretory papillate trichomes cover the stigma and line the

stylar canal. This unique apocarpous gynoecium (lacking the conical

residual floral apex) and a greatly expanded receptacle distinguish Nelumbo

from the Nymphaea, as does a distinctive androecial ring. Nelumbo is

characterized by polysymmetric floral development with petals originating

spirally and some in simultaneous whorls (stamens/carpels). This pattern of

floral development as well as the pattern of carpel closure by secretion is

common in several paleoherbs and eudicots and indicates a polygenetic

affinity between Nelumbonaceae and basal angiosperms. Because of its unique

floral development and anatomy, Nelumbo appears to be an isolated member of

the eudicot clade.

McMahon has extensively worked with the Nelumbos (primarily in

the S. of India) and this is from his newsletter. " Even to this day though

I have trouble describing any of the three lotus absolutes that are being

extracted(as the project has evolved we have also successfully extracted

white lotus from Tamil Nadu and Blue Lotus from Maharastra. The blue lotus

is light blue in color and is not to be confused with the blue lotus of

Egypt which belongs to the Nymphaea genus. But it is very interesting to

note that the blue lotus blossoms of Maharastra are much smaller than either

pink or white lotus and that the consistency of the oil is much less viscous

than the white and pink. These are plants of the water and their is

something of that element that is incorporated into the bouquet. They also

draw their sustenance from muddy earth which is constantly saturated with

water and this again plays a part in their aromatic profile. With regards to

Pink Lotus there is a definite rich powdery bouquet with a medicinal note

appearing at the top. Behind this is a a soft ethereal bouquet which one

would not call sweet.. It is almost resinous. I would say that of the three

lotus absolutes, the pink is the lotus of the earth. It may be for this

reason that Pink Lotus is sacred to Lakshmi Devi the Goddess of wealth. But

there is hidden with this essence another dimension of refinement that one

must explore themselves. "

Hope this adds to your aromatic plant and perfume information.

Be well,

Marcia Elston

Samara Botane/Nature Intelligence, est. 1988

<http://www.wingedseed.com/> http://www.wingedseed.com Online 3/95

<http://www.aromaconnection.org/> http://www.aromaconnection.org Group Blog

2/07

" Historically, the most terrible things - war, genocide and slavery - have

resulted from obedience, not disobedience. "

Zinn

[Guest guest]

Marcia what wonderful info you have shared with us. Thank you. I was very

interested in your comment about the Nelumbo nucifera now considered to be a

native to N. Australia, that's where i live. I will see what i can find! I

have the Pink Lotus and love the earthy/muddyness of it.

Regards,

[Guest guest]

" Marcia Elston " <samara@...> wrote:

Dear List,

I recently had an inquiry to clarify the origin of our blue lotus

concrete/absolute and it lead to expand on differences between

Nelumbonaceae and Nymphaeaceae. I think it will be of use to you

perfumers as you source materials.

This is a subject that botanical classifiers have been pondering for

years....<

Marcia,

Thanks for posting this here, I appreciated your answer to my query

and your commitment to accuracy in this confusing clan of plants. As I

mentioned to you, I have a special relationship with the Nymphaeas (12

hours' worth of tattoo work of them on me), and I am always interested

in learning more about them and the Nelumbos.

Nymphaea, the Blue Waterlily of Egypt, is getting more popular now as

an herb for meditation (best case scenario) or legal high (less wise

usage). It gets called " Blue Lotus " by most of the online dealers, and

I tell ya, that just bugs me to no end! As Marcia said, there are

bluish lotuses, and hers do seem to be a Nelumbo, true lotus, which is

really exciting to me. But so many of the herb dealers out there don't

care about the botanical nitpickery, so we have 752,000 Google results

for Blue Lotus that are nearly all Nymphaea, the waterlily.

I'm new to perfumery, so I can't speak to their differences in that

area, but they are very different herbally, and the difference is

connected to their botanical qualities. Lotus, Nelumbo, has leaves

with a texture that makes them self-cleaning, and she holds her leaves

above the water, out of the muck. Lotus is very much associated with

Quan Yin, the Bodhisattva of compassion, who is often depicted riding

a wild dragon, yet with not a hair out of place. To me, both speak of

an unassailable purity.

Waterlilies, Nymphaea sp., form the classic lily pads on the surface

of the water, floating there and riding the waters. Most waterlilies

have a " floaty " herbal effect to them, used to calm and ease pain and

distress. The quality I feel is like being in a boat- at the mercy of

the motion of the water, but that motion itself becomes soothing. The

incomparable blue waterlily of Egypt is one of these, and it opens

each day at dawn, closing in the evening (I've seen this like

clockwork even from a vase of cut ones I had in a hotel room!). The

gold of the blue waterlily's center is like the sun in the sky, and

their rising and falling through the surface of the water made them a

symbol of rebirth and also sacred to Nefertem, the god of perfume. The

hotel room bouquet I had of them a few years back was unbelievable,

the smell left me literally dysfunctional and stupid it was so

intoxicating. Waterlilies in the Americas and Europe were held in much

the same regard.

Anyway, thanks for indulging me on this little rant, to me, it's a

good illustration of how what seems to be botanists hair splitting can

reflect deeper meaning about plants. For anyone interested, one of the

best resources I've seen on Waterlilies & Lotuses is this website:

http://victoria-adventure.org/

Stepping off the soapbox now.....

-leaves of joy / Micah

www.al-kemi.com