Golden lotus, also known as Water shield. Water shield is a perennial floating-leaf type aquatic herb plant with thick, tuberous rhizomes that lie horizontally. The leaves are of two types, with floating leaves being papery or nearly leathery, round to ovate, measuring 8-17 cm in length, entire, and the base splits into a deep heart shape.

Lotus leaf surface is green and glossy, with a convex back and soft hairs. The lateral veins are fine, with several times of 2-branch forks, and the petiole is cylindrical. Submerged leaves are thin and soft. The flower is solitary, with a cylindrical peduncle extending above the water surface, the bud is spherical and green. There are 5 sepals, obovate-obtuse and wedge-shaped, yellow, resembling petals.