Introduction

• Euryale ferox, commonly known as prickly waterlily, 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.
• Euryale ferox is a perennial plant native to eastern Asia and southern Asia, and is found from northeast India to Korea and Japan, as well as parts of eastern Russia.
• 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.