History, varieties and pictures of lotus

1. The history, varieties, cultivation and uses of lotus

The varieties of lotus

are traditional cultivated varieties in Beijing. Single petal flower type. The flower buds are peach-shaped, green, with red upper parts and white flowers. The flowers bloom early, starting in early June, and the group flowering period is about one month. Lotus roots form early. In late July, the new lotus roots are repotted for the second time, and the flowering period can last until around early October. There are naturally mutated red and pink walnuts.

It is a traditional cultivated variety in Xiamen. Single petal flower type. The flower buds are peach-shaped, green, with reddish tips, white pollen, and reddish tips when they first open. Flowering begins in early June, and the group flowering period lasts for one month. Its petals are slender, the receptacle is small, the leaves are lush and the flowers are abundant, making it easy to bloom.

It is a famous variety widely cultivated. Double flower shape. The flower buds are round and peach-shaped, purple-red, with many red flowers. Flowering begins in mid-June, and the group flowering period lasts for one month. The flowers are brightly colored and easy to bloom in pots.

An ancient variety of bowl lotus. Double flower type. The flower buds are round and peach-shaped, pink, with white pollen and red petal tip edges. The flowers bloom more frequently, starting in late June, and the group flowering period lasts for one month. It is easy to bloom in pots.

Breed by Hangzhou Flower Garden, Zhejiang Province. Plants are short. Single petal flower type. The flower buds are peach-shaped, green, and the flowers are small and white. Very suitable for cultivation in pots and bowls. It blooms profusely and the group flowering period is from mid-June to mid-August.

The history of lotus:

The scientific name of lotus is Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. The lotus belongs to the genus Nelumbo of the Nymphaeaceae family.

Nelumbo Adans. is one of the earliest species among angiosperms. According to paleobotanist research on fossils, 135 million years ago, lotus plants were distributed in many water areas in the northern hemisphere. At that time, the giant reptile dinosaurs were in the late stages of rapid decline. They grew on the earth much earlier than the appearance of human ancestors (2 million years ago). According to "Paleobotany" (1965) of the former Soviet Union A.H. Christopherovich, fossils of the genus Nelumbo were found in the Cretaceous Period in the Arctic region of North America and the Amur River in Asia (i.e. Heilongjiang), and in the Oligocene Period in Europe, East Asia (Sakhalin Island), and Japan. and in Miocene strata. At that time, the temperature on the earth was warmer than now. There were about 10 to 12 species of lotus plants, distributed on all five continents. With the advent of the Post-Ice Age, global temperatures dropped, causing many plants to become extinct, while others were forced to migrate, completely breaking their original geographical distribution. Suffering from this disaster, only two species of Lotus plants survived, and their distribution range was reduced. The Chinese lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is distributed in Asia and northern Oceania, and the American lotus (N.lutea) has migrated to North America. Paleobotanists also pointed out that the Pleistocene to Holocene nectar excavated in Hokkaido and Kyoto, Japan The lotus fossil (2 million years ago) is similar to the modern Chinese lotus; the 10 million-year-old lotus leaf fossil excavated in the Qaidam Basin in China is similar to the modern Chinese lotus. In the 1970s, the Petroleum Exploration and Development Planning Institute of the Ministry of Petroleum and Chemical Industry of China and the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences recorded in the book "Early Tertiary Palynomorphs in the Bohai Sea Coastal Area": ​​in Panshan, Liaoning Province, Beidagang, Tianjin, Kenli, Shandong Province, Pollen fossils of two kinds of lotus have been found in Guangrao and Cangzhou, Hebei Province. Fossils of Lotus plants have also been found in the strata of the Changchang Basin in Qiongshan, Hainan Island, my country, within the Tertiary tropical phytogeographic region. At present, the original wild lotus is still distributed in the lakes and swamps of Fuyuan, Hulin, Tongjiang, Shangzhi and other counties in Heilongjiang Province. The above shows that lotus is an ancient plant before the ice age. It, like metasequoia (melasequoiagly plostroboides), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), Chinese tulip tree (Liriodendron chinese), and North American sequoia (Sequoia sempervirens), is not swallowed up by glaciers during the ice age. Representatives of surviving relict plants.

The mystery of the water-proof and self-cleaning lotus leaf

The surface of the lotus leaf is attached with countless micron-sized wax papilla structures.

When observing these papillae with an electron microscope, you can see that there are many nanometer-sized particles with a similar structure attached to the surface of each micron-sized papilla. Scientists call this the micron-nano dual structure of the lotus leaf. It is these tiny dual structures that make the contact area between the lotus leaf surface and water droplets or dust very limited, so the phenomenon of water droplets rolling on the leaf surface and taking away dust occurs. And the water does not stay on the surface of the lotus leaf.

Three scientific explanations for the broken lotus roots

When it comes to lotus, it is natural to mention lotus roots. Nederland belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family and is a perennial herb planted in shallow ponds. Its stem grows in the mud and metamorphoses into a rhizome, which is the lotus root, also known as lotus root. The lotus roots grow horizontally in the mud and absorb nutrients from the fibrous roots on the base stem nodes. Because lotus root meat is thick, crisp, tender and slightly sweet, contains a lot of starch and is rich in nutrients, it has been a favorite food of people since ancient times.

When we break the lotus roots, we can observe countless long white lotus root threads connecting the broken lotus roots. Why is there such a disconnection phenomenon?

This is about observing the structure of lotus root. It turns out that in order for plants to grow, the tissues that transport water and nutrients are called vessels and tracheids. These tissues extend in all directions within the plant body, and are as unobstructed in leaves, stems, flowers, fruits and other organs as blood vessels are in the animal body.

The inner wall of the plant's ducts will be particularly thickened in certain parts, forming various textures, some are ring-shaped, some are trapezoidal, and some are mesh-shaped. However, the thickened part of the duct wall of lotus root is continuous in a spiral shape, which is especially called a spiral duct. When the lotus root is broken, the thickened spiral part of the inner wall of the conduit breaks away and becomes a spiral filament with a diameter of only 3 to 5 microns. These filaments are like stretched springs and will not be broken within the elastic limit. They can generally be stretched to about 10 cm.

Lotus root silk is not only found in lotus roots, but also in lotus stems and lotus pods, but it is more slender. If you pick a lotus stem and fold it into sections as much as possible, it will look like a long series of connected small green "lanterns". What connects these small green "lanterns" is this kind of filament. . This filament looks like one filament, but if you observe it under a microscope, you will find that it is actually composed of 3 to 8 finer filaments, just like a cotton yarn is composed of countless cotton fibers.

The fine and lingering lotus root silk has attracted the attention of the ancients very early. In the poem "Going to the Wife" by Meng Jiao of the Tang Dynasty, there is a line that "the thread in my heart is still connected even though it is broken." Later, people used the idiom "the lotus root is broken and the silk is connected" to describe that although the relationship is broken, the love is still connected.

The mystery of the germination of the four-thousand-year-old lotus

Ms. Shen is a botanist at the University of California, Los Angeles. She cultivates various plants in her laboratory, but she The most cherished ones are the two ancient lotuses - they are both about 500 years old.

“Ordinary flowers can only survive for a few years.” Ms. Shen said, “These two ancient lotuses are very different. Their seeds have been baptized for hundreds of years, and now they are sprouting and blooming. ”

The ancient lotus that has been sleeping for thousands of years wakes up

A few years ago, Ms. Shen visited the China Institute of Botany in Beijing. When she was about to return to the United States, her colleagues in Beijing gave her 7 Lotus seeds. "It is said that these seeds were excavated from the muddy lake bottom in the Northeast. I know they are very old, but I don't know the exact number." Ms. Shen said, "They did not attract enough attention from me at the time, but they were my experiments. Colleague John Sasson discovered their value. ”

John Sasson used a carbon isotope tester to identify the age of the ancient lotus seeds and found that they were left over from 1,200 years ago! What’s even more surprising is that when Ms. Shen cut off the outer shell of the seeds with a blade and soaked them in the culture solution, it didn’t take long for them to sprout!

Unfortunately, these seeds only survive for a short time after germination, but they have been listed as the oldest seeds capable of germination in the world.

Can a thousand-year-old seed germinate? ! This aroused great interest in Ms. Shen, and she decided to return to China again to search for these mysterious beings. At that time, Ms. Shen was already a well-known scholar in the international botanical community, and many scientists were willing to assist her in completing this research.

The road to science is not smooth

The second batch of ancient lotus seeds brought to the United States by Ms. Shen included 21 seeds, all of which were between 200 and 500 years old. In 1997, Ms. Shen studied lotus cultivation technology in Germany. Through "minor surgery", the first seed germinated, but it only survived for less than 3 months.

“In the following three years, I cultivated three other seeds at the California Botanical Research Institute in the United States, but none of them bloomed—obviously, I used improper methods.” Ms. Shen recalled the past, "It seems that we were lucky later. Both seeds bloomed, which is the two trees you see now. One of them is 408 years old, and the other is 466 years old."

Although Ancient lotuses bloomed, but they were many different from modern lotuses and could not fully adapt to the modern environment. "I am trying every means to make them thrive."

According to Ms. Shen, there should be a special reason why lotus can live so long; if the inner mechanism of lotus longevity can be discovered, human beings will There will be huge benefits, such as solving the problem of food storage, reducing the number of hungry people in the world, and potentially extending human life.

The key question is: What is the secret of lotus longevity? Ms. Shen said it may be related to radiation in the soil.

Gaiman Harbert is a chemist who is Ms. Shen’s work colleague. Hubbard discovered that the soil surrounding the ancient lotus seeds emits slight radiation. "Although the intensity of radiation is very low, its effects after hundreds of years are quite amazing." Ms. Shen explained, "This may be the reason why the ancient lotus seeds can survive to this day."

It is reported that Ms. Shen currently has 15 ancient lotus seeds left, which she plans to provide to other scientists so that the scientific research project can be carried out around the world. "The lotus comes out of the mud but remains unstained, so it represents a special meaning in Buddhism." Ms. Shen said, "Now we want to find out the secret of the longevity of the lotus and benefit all mankind."

In How can the ancient lotus that has been sleeping underground for thousands of years still bloom?

This is related to the structure of lotus seeds. The outer testa of lotus seeds is hard and dense, like a small "sealed bag", sealing the seeds inside, which can prevent the penetration of outside moisture and air, and also prevent the loss of moisture and air inside the seeds. Therefore, the life activities of lotus seeds are very important. Weak, equivalent to dormant state. This is an important reason why ancient lotus seeds still have vitality.

In addition, it is also related to the environment in which the ancient lotus seeds were buried. These ancient lotus seeds are buried in a peat layer about 30-60 centimeters deep, and peat has good water-absorbing and moisture-proof properties. In addition, the peat layer is covered with a thick layer of soil, so the ancient lotus seeds are almost in a closed environment. middle. In such an environment, ancient lotus seeds did not have the conditions to take root and sprout, so they were able to preserve their vitality.

The reason why Wulian grows and reproduces so fast

6. Technological inventions derived from lotus

Since the 1970s, researchers engaged in plant classification research Wilhelm Bartlot, director of the Institute of Botany at the University of Bonn in Germany, and his team studied the surface structures of more than 10,000 plants through electron microscopy. This study finally revealed an interesting phenomenon: when you pour a few drops of glue on the lotus leaves, the glue will not stick to the leaves, but will roll off without leaving any traces. The leaves covered with a very thin layer of wax crystals are clean, which is the characteristic of waterproof leaves. This phenomenon aroused Bartlot's curiosity, and he hypothesized that there was a causal relationship between water resistance and stain resistance. After hard work, he invented a new technology to produce a material with a completely waterproof surface and self-cleaning function. This is a new technology with a wide range of uses. It eliminates the need for people to worry about cleaning the tops and surfaces of buildings, as well as the cleaning of cars, airplanes and various transportation vehicles.

7. Poems related to lotus

1. Nineteen ancient poems (six of them)

Wading the river to pick hibiscus, there are many fragrant grasses in the orchids. Who do you want to leave behind (as a gift)? My thoughts are far away. I still look back at my old hometown, the long road is long and vast. We are of the same mind and separated, and we end up in sorrow.

2. Xizhou ① Song (Southern Dynasties Yuefu Folk Song)

Recalling the plum blossoms in ② Xizhou, I folded the plums and sent them to the north of the Yangtze River. Her single shirt is apricot red, and her temples are the color of a young crow③. Where is Xizhou? Two-oar bridge crossing. At dusk, shrikes fly, and the wind blows on the tallow trees. Under the tree is in front of the door, with green diamonds exposed in the door. The doorman didn't come, so I went out to pick red lotus. Collecting lotus flowers in Nantang in autumn, the lotus flowers exceed people's heads. Lower your head to get the lotus seeds. The lotus seeds are as green as water. Put it in the lotus sleeve, the lotus heart ⑥ is completely red ⑦. Recalling that Lang Lang is not here, I look up at Feihong ⑧. Hong Fei is all over Xizhou, watching Lang go to the brothel. The building is so high that you can't see the top of the railing. The railings have twelve curves, and the hanging hands are as clear as jade. The sky is high in the rolling curtain, and the sea water shakes the sky green⑨. The dream of sea water is long, you are worried and I am also worried. The south wind knows my wishes and blows my dreams to Xizhou.

Notes ① [Xizhou] place name, unknown location. It is the place where men and women in this article are commemorated. ②〔下〕fall. The season of falling plum blossoms is the season that men and women in this poem commemorate together. ③〔Crow's young color〕Describes the hair as black and shiny. Crow chick, little crow. ④[Shrike] A songbird that starts singing in midsummer. ⑤ [Cui Dian] Jewelry made or inlaid with jade. ⑥[Lotus Heart] is a pun on "Lotus Heart", which means the heart of love. ⑦ [Completely red] means that it is so red that it is completely red. ⑧[Wang Feihong] Hope for a letter. The ancients had a legend about swan geese passing letters. ⑨ [The rolling curtain is high in the sky, and the sea water shakes the sky green] These two sentences seem to be reversed. It means that the blue sky on an autumn night is like the sea. The wind blows the curtains, and when you see the sky through the curtains, you feel like the waves of the sea. It is said that the river is called the sea here, and "sea water" refers to the river water. [Yuyou] remote. The sky and sea are boundless, so it is said to be "long and long". The "long and long" of the sky and sea is just like the "long and long" of dreams. [Jun] refers to the lover who lives in Jiangbei.

3. An excerpt from "Book Huai Presents to the Liangzai of Jiangxia Wei Prefecture" (Li Bai)

Hibiscus comes out of clear water, and the carvings are naturally removed.

4. Quatrains (Part 7) (Du Fu)

Populas are spread on white felt along the grain path, and green coins are stacked on lotus leaves by the stream. No one can see the young children on the bamboo shoots, and the chicks sleep next to their mothers on the sand.

5. Lotus Picking Song (Zhu Xiang)

The boat is light, / the willows are swaying in the wind; / the lotus leaves are green, / the lotus flowers are charming. /Sunset, /Microwaves, /Golden threads flash across the river. / Go left, / support right, / the lotus boat is singing.

The lotus is half open, / the bees and butterflies are not allowed to come lightly, / the green water is accompanying them, / it is pure and not stained by dust. / Picking lotus flowers in the stream, / The water drops slide through the lotus coins. /Clap hard, /Clap lightly,/The sound of the paddle answers the song.

The heart of the lotus root is long and the silk is long, / it is shy and hidden deep in the water; / the silkworm cocoon is missing, / the silk is so much that the pupa is wrapped in the center? / the lotus root is picked at the head of the stream, / and the girl wants to pick it, but it is awkward. / Waves sink, / Waves rise, / Waves are singing.

There are many lotus pods,/the durian trees are whirling on both sides of the bank,/the magpies are noisy,/the durian flowers are falling on Silla. / In the stream / lotus is picked, / the ears and temples are faintly red. / The wind is steady, / the wind is born, / the wind is rippling with singing.

The moon hook has risen, / it is clear that the Weaver Girl has morning glory; / the mist is blowing on the water, / the cool breeze is drifting away from the lotus boat. /The fragrance of flowers,/the fragrance of clothes,/dissolve into the vastness;/when it is still,/when it is heard,/the sound of singing curls up in the void.

8. Examples of lotus culture

1? my country’s famous lotus viewing resort

“The lotus leaves touching the sky are infinitely green, and the lotus flowers reflecting the sun are uniquely red.” Summer is the season for appreciating lotus. There are many lotus appreciating spots in China. The famous ones include West Lake in Hangzhou, Daming Lake in Jinan, Weishan Lake in Shandong, Honghu Lake in Hubei, Dongting Lake in Hunan, Slender West Lake in Yangzhou, Baiyangdian in Hebei, and Chengde Summer Resort. Villa, Qixing Rock in Zhaoqing, Guangdong, Baihe Town, Tainan County, Taiwan, etc. In these places, you can see the beauty of lotus flowers and enjoy the beautiful scenery of "red clothes and green fans reflecting the clear waves".

2. The close relationship between the lotus and Buddhism

The lotus has forged a close relationship with Buddhism and has become a symbol and sacred flower of the Buddhist country.

There is usually a seated statue of Buddha Sakyamuni in the temple. He wears a shoulder-length coat, holds a Dharma seal, and sits on a lotus platform. Buddhist scriptures say that this is the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha after he practiced Taoism and became a Buddha. The gesture of preaching about the Buddha to the believers.

Amitabha, known as the head of the "Three Saints of the West", is also sitting on a lotus platform in lotus position, with his hands on his palms and feet, holding a lotus platform in his palm, seeming to guide all living beings to the pure land of the Western Buddha; Guanyin, who is famous for his great kindness and compassion, is Wearing white clothes, sitting on a white lotus, holding a pure vase in one hand and a white lotus in the other, it seems to show the pure Bodhisattva heart of Guanyin, guiding believers to escape from the world and reach the pure land where lotus flowers bloom.

When reading Buddhist scriptures, people often see that the Buddhist kingdom is called the "Lotus Realm", the temple is called the "Lotus House", and the monk's cassock is called the "Lotus Clothing". The mudra of the monk's practice is called "lotus palms together", and some of the "rosary beads" used by the monks are also made of lotus seeds. Buddhist scriptures say that using lotus seeds to make rosary beads is better than using locust wood beads. If you recite the same prayer beads once, you will get a thousand times more blessings.

3? Two riddles

A little girl is sitting in the middle of the water, wearing a pink coat, emitting fragrance. (Lotus)

There is a dragon in the mud, with a canopy on its head, its body is segmented, and its belly is full of small holes. (Lotus root)