Lotus, plant name. Alias: Lotus, Lotus, Fantuo Pear, Shuizhi, Yunshui, Shui Mu, Zezhi, Huashui, Hanhan, Shuidancao, Furong, Shuifurong, Yuhuan, June Spring, China Lotus, June Flower God, Lotus Root, Cao Ling, Yuzhi, Shuifurong, Shuigong Fairy, etc.
Origin and development:
According to the fossils studied by paleobotanists, lotus plants were distributed in many waters in the northern hemisphere10.35 billion years ago. At that time, it was in the late stage of the rapid decline of the giant reptile dinosaur, and its growth time on the earth was much earlier than the appearance of human ancestors (2 million years ago). According to Paleobotany (1965) by A.H. Christophevich of the former Soviet Union, lotus fossils have been found in Cretaceous strata in the Arctic of North America and amur river Basin of Asia (i.e. Heilongjiang), as well as Oligocene and Miocene strata in Europe and East Asia (Sakhalin Island) and Japan. At that time, the temperature on the earth was warmer than it is now. There were about 10~ 12 species of lotus plants distributed in five continents. With the advent of the post-glacial period, the global temperature dropped, making many plants extinct, while others were forced to drift away, completely breaking the original geographical distribution. Because of this disaster, two varieties of lotus survived, and their distribution range narrowed. Chinese lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is distributed in Asia and northern Oceania, and N.lutea drifts to North America. Paleobotanists also pointed out that the lotus fossils from Pleistocene to Holocene (2 million years ago) excavated in Hokkaido and Kyoto are similar to modern China lotus; The lotus leaf fossils unearthed in Qaidam Basin, China, 6.5438+million years ago are similar to modern China lotus. In 1970s, China Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development Planning, Ministry of Petrochemical Industry and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences recorded in the book "Early Tertiary Sporopollen in Coastal Areas of Bohai Sea" that two kinds of lotus pollen fossils were found in Panshan, Liaoning, Beidagang, Tianjin, Kenli, Guangrao, Shandong and Cangzhou, Hebei. Fossils of the genus Nelumbo were also found in the strata of Changchang Basin in Qiongshan, Hainan Island, China, in the Tertiary tropical phytogeographical region. At present, the original wild lotus is still distributed in lakes and swamps in Fuyuan, Hulin, Tongjiang and Shangzhi counties of Heilongjiang Province. The above shows that lotus is an ancient plant before the Ice Age, which belongs to the representative of relict plant, such as Paeonia suffruticosa, Ginkgo biloba, Liriodendron chinense in China, Sequoia sempervirens and so on. , not swallowed by the glaciers of the ice age and survived.
Growth process:
Lotus primordium is located in the bud of lotus root area, on the back of the base of young leaves. Flowers are solitary, bisexual. Sepals 4~5, green, falling off after flowering; The battalion commander is peach-shaped, peach-shaped or round-peach-shaped, dark purple or grayish green; Flowers can be divided into single petals, compound petals, double petals and thousand petals, and the colors are white, crimson, pink, purple, yellow and green. The flowering period is from June to September, and the flowering period of a single flower is only 3-4 days, mostly at noon, and thousands of petals can bloom for more than 10 days; The largest flower diameter can reach 30 cm, and the smallest is less than 10 cm; Stamens are 60~450 or petaloid, anther fragments are mostly yellow and filaments are white; The head is born, the ovary is superior, the carpels are separated, and they are scattered in the bowl-shaped and trumpet-shaped green receptacle. The swollen receptacle after withering is called lotus, which has 3-30 lotus cells. When it develops normally, each carpel forms an oval nut. Sometimes carpels are "blistered" or petal-shaped and cannot form fruits.
Value:
Lotus, also known as lotus, is warm and sweet, can promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, relieve summer heat and detoxify, and can be used to treat traumatic injuries. Lotus can be used to treat rheumatism and scabies. When in use, the lotus flower is mashed and pasted on the red and swollen place to take effect. According to Compendium of Materia Medica, taking lotus and glutinous rice to cook porridge can make people young and beautiful. "Taicao Qingfangmu Yao Ji" wrote: Dry lotus, lotus root and lotus seed in the shade, grind them into powder and take them with warm wine every day, which can prolong life.
Lotus leaves can be used to make glutinous rice chicken, and lotus seeds can be used to make porridge or eaten raw. Lotus petals can be used to make tea and cook, and have a fragrant smell. Now there is a place to launch the Lotus Package. Also, the root of lotus root, lotus root, can be used for cooking and dessert.
Lotus is beneficial to human beings: lotus root is edible, lotus seed has nourishing effect, and flowers and leaves can be seen by people. Its lotus root festival, lotus seeds and lotus leaves are all good medicinal materials for Chinese medicine treatment. Where lotus grows, it also has the functions of purifying water quality, optimizing environment and beautifying scenery.
Lotus, green leaves and safflower form a colorful and elegant style. It is a popular ornamental flower, and has been praised as "the beauty of green cover" by scholars of past dynasties. Different from the beauty in the world, the beauty of lotus is natural beauty, natural beauty, without any artificial modification. Li Bai's poem "Clear water produces hibiscus, natural carving" vividly summarizes this feature of lotus. Not only that, lotus is called "the gentleman in the flower" by many writers because of its character of "getting out of the mud without being stained", and it is often used as a metaphor to praise those who refuse to go along with the secular, have high morality and are upright and upright.
Lotus is a combination of divine symbol and practical value, which has already appeared in ancient civilizations of Egypt, India, China and other countries. The ancient Egyptians believed that lotus symbolizes the god of silence and hides the secrets of the gods. Its fragrance is the breath of the gods and is indispensable in religious ceremonies. Buddhism, which originated in India, believes that lotus symbolizes sacredness and immortality. Not only does the bodhisattva sit on the lotus, but the word "lotus" is often seen in Buddhist scriptures. As for China, Zheng Feng in The Book of Songs sang the phrase "Ji has a lotus flower"; By the time Zhou Dunyi, a great philosopher in the Song Dynasty, put forward the theory of "love lotus", the noble image of lotus was more deeply rooted in people's hearts, and the reputation of "a gentleman in a flower" belonged to her. In addition to being used to eating nutritious lotus roots and lotus seeds, folks often put lotus flowers in bottles on tables or plant them in flowerpots to appreciate their charm.
Poetry:
Tang said that Zhou Dunyi's lotus "comes out of mud without being stained, clear without being demon."
Yang Wanli, a great poet in the Tang Dynasty, once said: "After all, in mid-June, the scenery of the West Lake was different from that of the four seasons; The next day, the leaves are infinitely blue, and the lotus flowers are different red. " "Xiao He only showed sharp corners, and he had already stood on his head."
In the Song of Xizhou in the Southern Dynasties, it was written: "In autumn, lotus is picked in Nantang, and the lotus is over the head; Bow your head and get lotus seeds, as clear as water. "