Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is a perennial aquatic basal eudicot belonging to a small family Nelumbonaceace, which contains only one genus with two species. It is an important horticultural plant, with its uses ranging from ornamental, nutritional to medicinal values, and has been widely used, especially in Southeast Asia. Recently, the lotus obtained a lot of attention from the scientific community. An increasing number of research papers focusing on it have been published, which have shed light on the mysteries of this species. Here, we comprehensively reviewed the latest advancement of studies on the lotus, including phylogeny, genomics and the molecular mechanisms underlying its unique properties, its economic important traits, and so on. Meanwhile, current limitations in the research of the lotus were addressed, and the potential prospective were proposed as well. We believe that the lotus will be an important model plant in horticulture with the generation of germplasm suitable for laboratory operation and the establishment of a regeneration and transformation system.
Keywords: Nelumbo nucifera; genomics; model plant; molecular mechanisms; phylogeny.