Two artistically beautiful stamps appear in June. Photographer and florist Tiina Tahvanainen has featured a white and a yellow water lily.

Water lilies belong to the Nymphaeaceae family and grow in shallow water and wetlands, with its roots in the sediment and its leaves and flowers floating on the water surface. There are about 60 species of water lilies around the world. The white (Nymphaea) and yellow (Nuphar) water lilies are among the most primitive dicotyledons with features such as a large number of floral leaves arranged in concentric circles.

The white water lily thrives in about 20 to 30 lakes in Åland and can also be found in marshes on many archipelago islands. More common than the white water lily, the yellow water lily grows in about 50 lakes in Åland. Its floating leaves can cover large areas up to an acre in size.

Source: WOPA

published June 28th, 2013