Euryale ferox, commonly known as prickly waterlily,[3] makhana or Gorgon plant, is a species of water lily found in southern and eastern Asia, and the only extant member of the genus Euryale.[a] The edible seeds, called fox nuts or makhana when dried,[b] are eaten in Asia.
Taxonomy
Euryale ferox is a member of the water lily family
Nymphaeaceae.[2] The separate family Euryalaceae
J.Agardh was proposed in 1858, a classification which has ultimately been rejected.[4] Unlike other water lilies, the
pollen grains of Euryale have three
nuclei.[5]
It grows in water, producing bright purple
flowers. The
leaves are large and round and
peltate, often more than a meter (3 feet) across, with a leaf stalk attached in the centre of the lower surface. The underside of the leaf is purplish, while the upper surface is green. The leaves have a quilted texture, although the stems, flowers, and leaves which float on the surface are covered in sharp
prickles. Other leaves are submerged. In India, Euryale normally grows in ponds and wetlands.
Reproduction
Self pollination can occur in Euryale ferox. Pollen is known to be released prior to the opening of the flower.[12] The majority of Euryale ferox flowers are
cleistogamous, with the additional occurrence of
chasmogamous flowers.[13]
Cytology
The chromosome count is n = 29. The genome size is 870.42 Mb.[14]
The plant produces
starchy white
seeds that are edible. The plant is cultivated for its seeds[15] in lowland
ponds in India, China, and Japan. The
Chinese have cultivated the plant for centuries.[16] More than 96,000
hectares of
Bihar, India, were set aside for cultivation of Euryale in 1990–1991.[6] The Indian state of
Bihar produces 90% of the world's fox nuts.[15] The plant grows best in locations with hot, dry summers and cold winters. Seeds are collected in the late summer and early autumn, and may be eaten raw or cooked.
In the northern and western parts of
India, Euryale ferox seeds are often roasted or fried, which causes them to pop like
popcorn.[17] These are then eaten, often with a sprinkling of oil and
spices. They are also used in other types of cooking, especially to make a porridge or pudding called
kheer.
Evidence from
archaeobotany indicates that Euryale ferox was a frequently collected wild food source during the
Neolithic period in the Yangtze region, with large numbers of finds coming from the sites of
Kuahuqiao,
Hemudu, and Tianluoshan.[18] The earliest recorded use of E. ferox was found in
Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, Israel, among artifacts of the
Acheulean culture 750–790,000 years ago.[19]
It is classified on the Red List of endangered plants in Japan and given the designation "vulnerable".[13][21] It is classified as species of Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[1] However, a population decline on the global scale has been reported.[13]
Notes
^The plant is also called foxnut. Known as thangjing in parts of
Manipur, India.
^Euryale is found in the
Mithila region, specifically nine districts of
Bihar (Madhubani, Darbhanga, Katihar, Sitamarhi, Purnea, Kishanganj, Araria, Saharsa and Supaul) and some hilly areas of
Manipur.