Water lilies send their long stout leaves and flower stalks up from the mud bottom of clear shallow water. Their narrow to round green leaves usually are seen floating on the surface of the water, but may also be submerged. The flowers usually raise above the water on long flower stalks. The flowers may be as large one foot ( 30 centimeters) across. Some of the water lilies bloom during the day and others at night. The water lily is the flower.

The 1996 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia