Nelumbo nucifera, also known as Indian Lotus, Sacred Lotus, Bean of India, or simply Lotus, is one of two species of aquatic plant in the family Nelumbonaceae. This plant is an aquatic perennial. Under favorable circumstances its seeds may remain viable for many years, with the oldest recorded lotus germination being from that of seeds 1,300 years old recovered from a dry lakebed in northeastern China. Native to Tropical Asia and Queensland, Australia, it is commonly cultivated in water gardens. It is also the national flower of India, Bangladesh and Vietnam.