Euryale

Euryale is a monotypic genus of flowering aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae native to eastern Asia, and is found from India to Korea and Japan, as well as parts of eastern Russia. Unlike other water lilies, the pollen grains of Euryale have three nuclei.

Euryale ferox, also known as fox nut or gorgon plant is the only species in the genus. It grows in water and has bright purple flowers. The leaves can be more than a meter across and have a quilted texture. All the parts that float on the surface are covered in sharp prickles. The plant is cultivated for its starchy white edible seeds in lowland ponds in India, China, and Japan. The Chinese have cultivated the plant for over 3000 years.