^ 



338 URTICACEM 



FICUS BENGALENSIS, Linn. 



Fig,—mn(/, Fie. 18, t. 31, 81c; Wight Ic, 1. 1939 ; Eheedc, 

 Hort. 3Ial. i., t. 28. 



Hab. — India. The root-bark. 



FICUS TJAKELA, Bnrm. 



Fig.— King, Fie. 57, L 70, 84x ; Rhccde, Hort. Mai. Hi., t. 61 

 Hab.— Intlia. The root-bark. 



FICUS GLOMERATA, Rcrb. 



. Fig. — Uoxb. Cor. PL H., f. 123; TFig/ii Ic, t. 667. • 



Hab, — India, The root-bark, frvilt, Juiccj and galls. 



Vernacular, — F. reliyiosa^ Pipal, Pij)ar {IlmL, Mar., Guz.)y 

 Aswat, Asud (I?^;2(7.), Ar|isa [Tarn,), Rai, Ptaiga [Tel)y Eangi, 

 Basri {Can.). F, hengalensis^ Bar, Bargat [Hind., Beng., Gnz.), 

 Vara, Vari [Men.), Ala [Tarn.), Mari, Peddi-mari {TeL\ Alada- 

 niara [Can.). F. Tjahcla, Ram-anjir, Pakhar [IlincL, Beng.), 

 Bassuri, Pakri, Lendva (J/r/r.), Joti {Tam,)^ Jeyi [TcL), Kan, 

 Bassari [Can.) F. glomerata^ Giilar, TJmar [HhuL), Jagno- 

 dumar [Bong.), Atti {Tani.), Moydi, Atti [Tel), KuUa-kitli 

 {Can.), Umbara {Mar.), Umbro [Guz.). 



History, UseSj &C. — In tbe Kathaka Upamshad an 

 eternal and cosmogonic Asvattha or Pippal tree is described; 

 this tree is said to hare its roots above and branches below 

 (iirdhvamulo' vaksakha esho ' svatthah sanatanah) ; it bears the 

 names of 'seed,' * brahman,' * amrita' ; the worlds rest npon it ; 

 beneath it there is nothing. The wood of the Asvattha when 

 rubbed against that of the Sami [Acacia Sumo) engenders fire, 

 which is symbolic of reproduction, the former representing the 

 male and the latter the female energy. At the marriage 

 ceremony of the Hindus, both of these plants are necessary. 

 To this mythic tree which represented the macrocosm, wonder- 

 ful medicinal properties are ascribed in the Atharvaveda ; the 

 medicine che^t of the Vedic physician, and the cup to contain 



