However, only the mall pools are large enough to allow
the Giant Amazon
waterlily or Victoria lily (Victoria amazonica (Poepp.) J.C.Sowerby),
to
reach its full development. The
flower buds can be as large as a football
(with a similar shape!) and the leaves can be 4 feet across and sturdy
enough to keep a toddler afloat. (don’t try this, please!). While the upper
leaf surface is soft and smooth, the lower surface is covered with very
hard, almost woody, spines that may be there to keep aquatic predators,
such as large snails, fish, turtles, and manatees, from consuming them.
Close-up view of the flower buds
