Yellow pancake - decoration of reservoirs

Most people who have ever visited a natural water reservoir on a holiday, will never forget the bright yellow beautiful flowers on the surface of the water. This unusual flower - a yellow egg - is not only an ornament of reservoirs, but also a medicinal plant. It grows ubiquitously in most temperate regions of Eurasia. This plant belongs to the family of Kuvshinkovs, to the genus Kubyshka. Often you can hear its name is not quite right - the yellow water lily. It grows in practically all standing reservoirs and rivers with a slow current, creating dense thickets in them. The yellow water lily (egg) belongs to one of the most ancient plants on Earth. It can be used for landscaping of shaded artificial and natural water bodies.

The yellow egg has round, leathery, dark green leaves, very reminiscent of the leaves of the water lily white. The leaves, which are located in the water column, are almost translucent. This plant has a very thick, fleshy horizontal rhizome, slightly flattened. It is greenish from above and whitish from below. On its entire surface there are numerous scars from dead pedicels and petioles of leaves. From the rhizome in all directions are numerous roots.

The flowering of this plant begins in May and lasts until the end of August. Near the floating leaves from the water stick out thick pedicels with spherical large yellow flowers. They have a pleasant smell and close at night, remaining on the surface of the water. The flower cup consists of five bell-shaped convergent leaves. There are many petals in the flower, but they are narrow and much shorter than the sepals. Also in the flower are many stamens. The ovary of the flower is oval-conical, multicutaneous, has a sitting stigma. Fruits are juicy, ripen from July to September. The plant reproduces by means of seeds having an air sac, due to which they are carried along the water surface.

Pollination of flowers is carried out by beetles and flies, who like "honey holes" on the petals. Rhizomes and stems of this plant are food for waterfowl (otters, beavers, water rats) and moose. Rhizomes well overwinter and release flowers and leaves with the onset of spring.

Several species of egg capsules are bred as ornamental plants. There are small types of it, suitable for a pond up to 60 cm deep (small and dwarfish). They have miniature flowers about 2.5 cm in diameter. For deeper ponds, large yellow egg capsules are used. Propagate the plant with rhizomes and seeds, planting them in the soil at the bottom of the reservoir. Kubyshka does not tolerate water pollution and cleans it, inhibiting blue-green algae. This plant can withstand even short-term drying and freezing of the reservoir.

The yellow egg in folk medicine has been used for many centuries. At one time her rhizomes and flowers were so often collected that a threat of extinction arose. Healing properties of it are recognized and official medicine. For medicinal purposes, rhizomes, flowers, seeds and leaves of the plant are used.

Procurement of raw materials is a time-consuming process. Out of 10 kg of extracted rhizomes there is only 1 kg of dried raw material.

Preparations from egg capsules have antimicrobial properties, anti-trichomoniasis and antifungal activity. They have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, astringent, bile and diuretic properties. Preparations from this plant are used for uterine bleeding, ovulation of the uterus, gastritis, CNS disorders. Flowers and rhizomes of egg capsules are effective for disorders in the genital area. Preparations from it have sedative and hypnotic properties. Use this plant for medicinal purposes is not worth it, because the egg is yellow poisonous.