The flowers are yellow and "half-opened" at or above the water surface. Flowers are attached to thick round stems that are often six feet long. The flowers have 5 or 6 large yellow sepals and numerous small petals resembling stamens.
Edible Parts: Leaves; Root; Seed.
Edible Uses: Drink.
Root - cooked. An edible starch can be extracted from the root. A possible emergency food. The root has a bitter flavour - this bitterness can be removed by leaching the root in water. Leaves and leaf stalks - cooked. Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a powder and used in making bread and porridge, or for thickening soups etc. The seed can also be parched, when it swells considerably but does not burst like popcorn. It is then normally eaten dry. A refreshing drink is made from the flowers.