May I add some more words about the plant? It is being said that the seeds do not grow as such, they grow well when the figs are eaten by birds and come out as excreta, so young seedlings can be seen sprouting in cracks and crevices of old plants , old buildings etc. Often grow as saprophytes in the young stage. The young leaves are pinkish in colour, the chromoplasts change to chloroplasts when few days old. The protruded leaf- apex (acuminate) seems to vary in legth, in some 5-6 mm long in others (vars?) much shorter. So far I know in the species which grow in Hawaii the apex is not much protruded.
When the Aswath (Beng, for F. religiosa) grows side by side with Bawt (F. bengalensis) , village folk (Hindus) perform marriage ceremony between them and often can be seen with a fused trunk. This combo secures a great religious significance and people often attach red thread etc on the branches with promises of more offering if desires or prayers are fulfilled. In some regions dominated by tribal you may see earthen dolls, horses etc. as offerings. Incidentally, Aswaththa (In literary Beng., perhaps that is derived from Sanskrit) does not grow so well as F. begalensis in Bengal, as such Bawt is much moreintimately associated with social and religious life in Bengal than F. religiosa. On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 11:43 AM, J.M. Garg <[email protected]> wrote: > Some extracts from Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_fig > > The *Sacred Fig* (*Ficus religiosa*) or *Bo-Tree* (from the > Sinhala<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinhala_language> > *bo*)[1] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_fig#cite_note-0> is a > species <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species> of > banyan<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banyan> > fig <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fig> native to > India<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India>, > Nepal <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepal>, Sri > Lanka<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka>, > southwest China <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China> and > Indochina<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indochina>east to > Vietnam <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam>. It is known by a wide > range of local names, such as *Bo* or *pou* , *bawdi* or *bawdi nyaung* in > Burmese language <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burmese_language>*, Bodhi > (โพธิ์)* (in Thai Language <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Language>, > though pronounced *Po*), *Pipal* (*peepal, peepul, pippala, pimpal*, > etc.), *arasa maram* or *Ashvastha<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashvastha> > * tree. It is a large dry season <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_season> > -deciduous <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deciduous> or > semi-evergreen<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen> > tree <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree> up to 30 > m<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M>tall and with a > trunk <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_trunk> diameter of up to 3 m. > > The Bodhi tree <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_tree> and the Sri Maha > Bodhi <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Maha_Bodhi> propagated from it are > famous specimens of Sacred Fig. The known planting date of the latter, 288 > BC <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/288_BC>, gives it the oldest verified age > for any angiosperm <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowering_plant> plant. > > This plant is considered sacred by the followers of > Hinduism<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism>, > Jainism <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism> and > Buddhism<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism>, > and hence the name 'Sacred Fig' was given to it. Siddhartha > Gautama<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_Gautama>is referred to have > been sitting underneath a Bo-Tree when he was > enlightened <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi> (Bodhi), or "awakened" > (Buddha). Thus, the Bo-Tree is well-known symbol for happiness, prosperity, > longevity and good luck. Today in India, Hindu > Sadhus<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadhu>still meditate below this tree, and > in Theravada > Buddhist <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theravada_Buddhist> Southeast > Asia<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia>, > the tree's massive trunk is often the site of Buddhist and animist shrines. > > 2009/1/25 figtree <[email protected]> > >> >> Just using scientific description- the leaves are petiolate, petioles >> long , leaves heart shaped, acuminate- with long pointed tip. >> >> On Jan 24, 7:06 pm, Anand Kumar Bhatt <[email protected]> wrote: >> > Peepal has a long leaf which is pointed and long at the end. The result >> is >> > that the slightest breeze moves it and the leaves make that typical >> sound. >> > That is why in Sanskrit it is also called CHALDAL >> > i HAVE NOT TRIED IT BUT IF you let it rot in water it has the web of >> veins >> > left, which is often used in greeting;cards. >> > akbhatt >> > On Sat, Jan 24, 2009 at 3:39 PM, dhaivat hathi <[email protected] >> >wrote: >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > > *Local Gujarati Name - પિપળો* >> > > ** >> > > *Local English Name - Peepal* >> > > ** >> > > *Botanical name - Ficus religiosa* >> > >> > > *Details - Scared tree for Hindus and Buddhhists.. Long living tree, >> over >> > > 1000 years.. Fruits are eaten by birds and bats, leaves used to feed >> camels >> > > and elephants.. Home of lacks of insects so again very useful to birds >> like >> > > Flycatchers.. * >> > > our sourse of Information is *Trees of India - Oxfort Uni Press* >> > >> > > -- >> > > Have a nice time, >> > > Regards, >> > > Dhaivat & Rajdeep.. >> > >> > > "Monitor alone uses more than half of computer's total power. I choose >> to >> > > switch off the monitor everytime I take a break." >> > >> > > Save a tree - please do not print this email unless you really need >> to. >> > >> > -- >> > Anand Kumar Bhatt >> > A-59, B.S.F.Colony, Airport Road >> > Gwalior. 474 005. >> > Tele: 0751-247 2233. Mobile 0 94253 09780.- Hide quoted text - >> > >> > - Show quoted text - >> >> >> > > > -- > With regards, > J.M.Garg > "We often ignore the beauty around us" > Creating Awareness about Indian Flora & Fauna: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 > For learning about our trees & plants, please visit/ join Google e-group > (Indiantreepix) http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en > > -- Sibdas Ghosh --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
