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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Sacred Fig
| image = Bo_Tree.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = Leaves and trunk of a Sacred Fig. <br/>Note the distinctive leaf shape.
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Rosales]]
| familia = [[Moraceae]]
| genus = ''[[Ficus]]''
| species = '''''F. religiosa'''''
| binomial = ''Ficus religiosa''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
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.
[[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.]]
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.
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.
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>
[[Image:pipal.jpg|thumb|right|typical shape of the leaf of the Ficus Religiosa]]
== Plaksa ==
Plaksa is a Sanskrit term for the Sacred fig. According to Macdonell and Keith (1912), it denotes the waved leaf fig-tree (''Ficus infectoria'').
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>
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>
== Notes ==
<references/>
==See also==
*[[Sri Maha Bodhi]]
*[[Sitala]]
== References ==
*Keith and Macdonell. 1912. Vedic Index of Names and Subjects.
*[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]
== External links ==
{{commons|Ficus religiosa}}
*[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]
* {{ppn|b/bodhirukka.htm|Bodhi Tree}}
[[Category:Ficus|Fig, Sacred]]
[[Category:Flora of Asia]]
[[Category:Flora of China]]
[[Category:Flora of India]]
[[Category:Flora of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = Sacred Fig
| image = Bo_Tree.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = Leaves and trunk of a Sacred Fig. <br/>Note the distinctive leaf shape.
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Rosales]]
| familia = [[Moraceae]]
| genus = ''[[Ficus]]''
| species = '''''F. religiosa'''''
| binomial = ''Ficus religiosa''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
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.
[[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.]]
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.
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.
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>
[[Image:pipal.jpg|thumb|right|typical shape of the leaf of the Ficus Religiosa]]
== Plaksa ==
Plaksa is a Sanskrit term for the Sacred fig. According to Macdonell and Keith (1912), it denotes the waved leaf fig-tree (''Ficus infectoria'').
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>
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>
== Notes ==
<references/>
==See also==
*[[Sri Maha Bodhi]]
*[[Sitala]]
== References ==
*Keith and Macdonell. 1912. Vedic Index of Names and Subjects.
*[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]
== External links ==
{{commons|Ficus religiosa}}
*[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]
* {{ppn|b/bodhirukka.htm|Bodhi Tree}}
[[Category:Ficus|Fig, Sacred]]
[[Category:Flora of Asia]]
[[Category:Flora of China]]
[[Category:Flora of India]]
[[Category:Flora of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Medicinal plants]]