Lucknow, Aug 15 : The CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute has launched an improved variety of national flower Lotus with 108 petals called 'Namoh 108' at an event in Lucknow. The flower was launched a day before Independence Day to dedicate the flower to the nation by CSIR Director General N. Kalaiselvi at NBRI's week-long festival 'One Week One Lab Programme'. The director also inaugurated a wellness centre for CSIR-NBRI staff and planted a sapling. 'This is a happy coincidence that 'Namoh 108' is dedicated to the nation a day before Independence Day,' She said, 'This lotus was brought by NBRI scientists from Manipur to conduct research on it. This is the first Lotus variety whose genome is completely sequenced. This plant will never be extinct or endangered like many of our plants.' The institute also released a new aloe vera variety named NBRI Nihar, along with six other products, which are the outcome of the institute's research and development wing. These are lotus-based products (perfume and apparel), colours from flowers offered in temples for various applications, herbal products (a drop for cold and anti-dandruff hair oil), raw drug database, virtual herbarium and a book on CSIR-NBRI garden roses. 'We have named the new lotus variety 'Namoh 108' considering the religious importance of the lotus flower. From 'Om Namoh Bhagwate Vasudevay Namah' mantra we have taken 'Namoh' while 108 is the number of petals this variety has,' said NBRI director Dr A.K. Shasany. He said that the variety is a clonal selection from the germplasm traced back to Manipur. 'It has a large light pink flower that reaches up to 10 inches in diameter. Unlike other varieties, its flowers bloom almost throughout the year (March-December) after NBRI's technology intervention, else earlier it was seasonal. NBRI's intervention was for distinctiveness, stability and uniformity. This elite variety contains a high content of nutritional components like amino acids, polyphenols, flavonoids, catechins, fatty acids, carbohydrates and minerals. This is propagated by rhizomes/stolon division and through seeds and can be grown in ponds, tanks, as well as in pots,' he added. The CSIR DG also inaugurated the beautification drive initiated by CSIR-NBRI around Lakshman circle on the airport premises. Here, a vertical garden has been established by the institute. /IANS