Difference between revisions of "Sacred fig"

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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]]
 

Latest revision as of 18:03, 26 July 2010


Leaves and trunk of a Sacred Fig. Note the distinctive leaf shape.


Plant Characteristics
Habit   tree

Height: ⇕ 30 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 30. to 40 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 40.
Width: ⇔ 25 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 25.
Lifespan: ⌛ perennial
Cultivation
Exposure: ☼ sun
USDA Zones: 9 to 12
Scientific Names

Moraceae >

Ficus >

religiosa >


The Sacred Fig (Ficus religiosa) or Bo-Tree (from the Sinhala bo)[1] is a species of banyan fig. It is a large dry season-deciduous or semi-evergreen tree up to 30 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 3 m.

The leaves are cordate in shape with a distinctive extended tip; they are 10–17 cm long and 8–12 cm broad, with a 6–10 cm petiole. The fruit is a small fig 1-1.5 cm diameter, green ripening purple.


Read about Sacred fig in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

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. CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


Cultivation

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Propagation

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Pests and diseases

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Species

Gallery

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  • photo 1

  • photo 2

  • photo 3

  • FicusReligiosa04 Asit.jpg

References

External links


  1. ↑ Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 1971, p.1014
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