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Sacred fig (view source)

Revision as of 18:03, 26 July 2010

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{{Taxobox
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{{SPlantbox
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| color = lightgreen
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|familia=Moraceae
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| name = Sacred Fig
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|genus=Ficus
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| image = Bo_Tree.jpg
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|species=religiosa
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| image_width = 240px
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|common_name=Sacred Fig
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| image_caption = Leaves and trunk of a Sacred Fig. <br/>Note the distinctive leaf shape.
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|habit=tree
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| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
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|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
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| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
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|Min ht box=30
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| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
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|Min ht metric=ft
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| ordo = [[Rosales]]
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|Max ht box=40
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| familia = [[Moraceae]]
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|Max ht metric=ft
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| genus = ''[[Ficus]]''
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|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
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| species = '''''F. religiosa'''''
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|Max wd box=25
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| binomial = ''Ficus religiosa''
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|Max wd metric=ft
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| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
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|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
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|lifespan=perennial
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|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
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|exposure=sun
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|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
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|Temp Metric=°F
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|min_zone=9
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|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia ISBN 0881925381
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|max_zone=12
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|image=Bo_Tree.jpg
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|image_width=240
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|image_caption=Leaves and trunk of a Sacred Fig. Note the distinctive leaf shape.
 
}}
 
}}
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The '''Sacred Fig''' ('''''Ficus religiosa''''') or '''Bo-Tree''' (from the [[Sinhala language|Sinhala]] ''bo'')<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, 1971, p.1014</ref>  is a [[species]] of [[banyan]] [[ficus|fig]]. It is a large [[dry season]]-[[deciduous]] or semi-[[evergreen]] [[tree]] up to 30 [[m]] tall and with a [[tree trunk|trunk]] diameter of up to 3 m.
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The '''Sacred Fig''' ''Ficus religiosa'', also known as '''Bo''' (from the [[Sinhalese]] Bo),  '''Peepal''' (Pipal, Peepul) or '''Ashwattha''' tree, is a species of [[banyan]] [[fig]] native to [[Nepal]] and [[India]], southwest [[China]] and [[Indochina]] east to [[Vietnam]]. It is a large [[dry season]]-[[deciduous]] or semi-[[evergreen]] [[tree]] up to 30m tall and with a [[tree trunk|trunk]] diameter of up to 3m.  
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The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[Wiktionary:Cordate|cordate]] in shape with a distinctive extended tip; they are 10–17&nbsp;cm long and 8–12&nbsp;cm broad, with a 6–10&nbsp;cm petiole. The [[fruit]] is a small fig 1-1.5&nbsp;cm diameter, green ripening purple.
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[[Image:Mahabodhitree.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Bodhi Tree]] at the [[Mahabodhi Temple]]. Propagated from the [[Sri Maha Bodhi]], which in turn is propagated from the original Bodhi Tree at this location.]]
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{{Inc|
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The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[Wiktionary:Cordate|cordate]] in shape with a distinctive extended tip; they are 10-17cm long and 8-12cm broad, with a 6-10cm petiole. The [[fruit]] is a small fig 1-1.5cm diameter, green ripening purple.
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Ficus religiosa, Linn. Peepul Tree of the Hindoos. Lvs. ovate-rotund, at the apex produced into a long linear-lanceolate tail-like appendage; petiole 3-4 in. long; stipules minute: fr. in axillary pairs, sessile, dark purple, ½in. thick. India. Grows 100 ft. high, and the leaves, suspended on their long, flexible petioles, rustle in the slightest breeze. "Quite hardy in S. Calif. but not attaining very large size."—Franceschi.
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{{SCH}}
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The [[Bodhi tree]] and the [[Sri Maha Bodhi]] propagated from it are famous specimens of Sacred Fig. The known planting date of the latter, [[288 BC]], gives it the oldest verified age for any [[flowering plant|angiosperm]] plant.
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}}
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This plant is considered sacred by the followers of [[Hinduism]], [[Jainism]] and [[Buddhism]], and hence the name 'Sacred Fig' was given to it. [[Siddhartha Gautama]] is referred to have been sitting underneath a Bo Tree when he was [[bodhi|enlightened]] (Bodhi), or "awakened" (Buddha). Today [[Sadhu]]s still meditate below this tree. <br clear = left>
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[[Image:pipal.jpg|thumb|right|typical shape of the leaf of the Ficus Religiosa]]
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== Plaksa ==
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Plaksa is a Sanskrit term for the Sacred fig. According to Macdonell and Keith (1912), it denotes the waved leaf fig-tree (''Ficus infectoria'').
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In Hindu texts, the Plaksa tree is associated with the source of the [[Sarasvati River]]. The [[Skanda Purana]] states that the Sarasvati originates from the water pot of [[Brahma]] and flows from [[Plaksa]] on the Himalayas. According to Vamana Purana 32.1-4, the Sarasvati was rising from the [[Plaksa tree]] (Pipal tree).<ref>D.S. Chauhan in Radhakrishna, B.P. and Merh, S.S. (editors): Vedic Sarasvati, 1999, p.35-44 </ref>
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Plaksa Pra-sravana denotes the place where the Sarasvati appears.<ref>Pancavimsa Brahmana, Jaiminiya Upanisad Brahmana, Katyayana Srauta Sutra, Latyayana Srauta; Macdonell and Keith 1912</ref> In the Rigveda Sutras, Plaksa Pra-sravana refers to the source of the Sarasvati.<ref>Asvalayana Srauta Sutra, Sankhayana Srauta Sutra; Macdonell and Keith 1912, II:55</ref>
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== Notes ==
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==Cultivation==
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{{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
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<references/>
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===Propagation===
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==See also==
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{{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
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*[[Sri Maha Bodhi]]
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*[[Sitala]]
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== References ==
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===Pests and diseases===
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{{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
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*Keith and Macdonell. 1912. Vedic Index of Names and Subjects.
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==Species==
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*[http://iu.ff.cuni.cz/pandanus/database/details.php?plantno=400094&enc=utf&sort=ka&display=50&reswind=this&lat=&skt=on&pkt=&tam=&start=0 plaksa description]
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<!--  This section should be renamed Cultivars if it appears on a page for a species (rather than genus), or perhaps Varieties if there is a mix of cultivars, species, hybrids, etc    -->
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== External links ==
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==Gallery==
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{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->
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{{commons|Ficus religiosa}}
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<gallery>
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File:Ficus religiosa.JPG| photo 1
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File:FicusReligiosa02 Asit.JPG| photo 2
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File:Starr 050516-1220 Ficus religiosa.jpg| photo 3
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File:FicusReligiosa04 Asit.jpg
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</gallery>
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*[http://iu.ff.cuni.cz/pandanus/database/details.php?plantno=800009&enc=utf&sort=ka&display=50&reswind=this&lat=&skt=on&pkt=&tam=&start=0 sacred fig description]
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==References==
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* {{ppn|b/bodhirukka.htm|Bodhi Tree}}
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*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
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<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
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<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
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<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->
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==External links==
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*{{wplink}}
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[[Category:Ficus|Fig, Sacred]]
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{{stub}}
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[[Category:Flora of Asia]]
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__NOTOC__
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[[Category:Flora of China]]
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[[Category:Flora of India]]
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[[Category:Flora of Pakistan]]
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[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
 
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