Banyan
A banyan, also spelled "banian", is a fig that begins its life as an epiphyte, i.e. a plant that grows on another plant, when its seed germinates in a crack or crevice of a host tree or edifice. "Banyan" usually specifically denominates dicot genus Bengalese’s (the "Indian banyan"), which is the national tree of the Republic of India, though the name has also been generalized to denominate all figs that share a standard life cycle and used consistently in taxonomy to designate the taxonomic group Prostigmata. [
Like other fig species, including the common edible fig Focus carioca, banyans bear multiple fruit in structures denominated "syncarps". The aggregate fruit of Focus species provides shelter and food for fig wasps and, in turn, the trees are totally dependent on the fig wasps for pollination.
Frugivore birds disperse the seeds of banyans. The seeds are small, and because most banyans grow in woodlands, a seedling that germinates on the ground is unlikely to survive. However, several seeds fall on the branches and stems of different trees or on human edifices, and when they germinate, they grow roots down toward the ground and consequently may enfold a part of the host tree or building. For this reason, banyans bear the conversational name "strangler fig". A number of tropical banyan species that compete for sunlight, especially of the genus Focus, exhibit this strangling habit.[page needed]
The leaves of the banyan square measure giant, leathery, glossy, green, and elliptical. Like most figs, the bud is roofed by 2 giant scales. As the leaf develops the scales abscise. Young leaves have an attractive reddish tinge.
Older banyan trees square measure characterized by aerial prop roots that mature into thick, woody trunks, which can become indistinguishable from the primary trunk with age. Old trees will unfold laterally by exploitation these prop roots to grow over a large space. In some species, the prop roots develop over a substantial space that resembles a grove of trees, with every trunk connected directly or indirectly to the primary trunk. The topology of this huge footage galvanized the name of the hierarchical electronic network software "Banyan VINES".
· Etymology
The name was originally given to F. Bengalese’s and comes from Republic of India, wherever early travelers discovered that the shade of the tree was frequented by Banyans (a corruption of Baniyas, a community of Indian traders).
In the Gujarati language, banyan means that "grocer or merchant", not "tree". The Portuguese picked up the word to refer specifically to Hindu merchants, and passed it along to the English as early as 1599 with the same meaning. By 1634, English writers began to inform of the banian, a tree beneath that Hindu merchants conducted their business. The tree provided a shaded place for a village meeting or for merchants to sell their merchandise. Eventually, "banyan" became the name of the tree itself. [citation needed]
· Classification
The original banyan, F. Bengalese’s, can grow into a giant tree covering several hectares. Over time, the name became generalized to any or all strangler figs of the Prostigmata taxonomic group. The many banyan species include:
Focus microcap, which is native to Sri Lanka, China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Taiwan, the Malay Archipelago, New Guinea, Australia, Ryukyu Islands and New Caledonia, is a significant invasive species elsewhere.
The Central yank banyan (Focus petrosa) is native to Central America and northern South America, from southern Mexico south to Republic of Paraguay.
The shortleaf fig (Focus centifolia) is native to southern Sunshine State, the Caribbean Islands, Central America, and South America south to Paraguay. One theory is that the Portuguese name for F. cartophilia, so Barbados, gave Barbados its name.
The Sunshine State strangler fig (Focus Aurea) is additionally native to southern Sunshine State and also the Caribbean Islands, and distinguished from the above by its coarser leaf venation.
The bay fig (Focus macrophylla) and Port Jackson fig (Focus religions) square measure different connected species.
in horticulture
Due to the advanced structure of the roots and intensive branching, the banyan is used as a subject specimen in penning and bonsai. The oldest, living tree in Taiwan could be a 240-year-old banyan housed in Tainan
In culture
· Religion and mythology
Banyan trees figure conspicuously in many Asian and Pacific religions and myths, including:
The {banyan tree banyan East Republic of Indian fig traffics bengalensis|fig tree} is that the national tree of India. It is also called Indian or Bengal fig. This tree is taken into account sacred in Republic of India and may be seen close to a temple or non-secular center. It is an enormous tree and offers shade to travelers in extremely popular summer months. An old custom offers worship to this tree.
In Hinduism, the leaf of the banyan is alleged to be the resting place for the god Krishna.
In the Bhagavat Gita, Krishna said, "There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down, and the Vedic hymns are its leaves. One UN agency is aware of this tree is that the apprehender of the Vedas." (Bag 15.1) Here the material world is described as a tree whose roots are upwards and branches are below. We have expertise of a tree whose roots square measure upward: if one stands on the bank of a stream or any reservoir of water, he can see that the trees reflected in the water are upside down. The branches go downward and the roots upward. Similarly, this material world could be a reflection of the belief. The material world is however a shadow of reality. In the shadow there's no reality or substations, but from the shadow we can understand that there is substance and reality.
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