Jain Biology

Author(s): Jethalal S Zaveri, Mahendramuni
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 11

From the records in ancient manuscripts and in the form of hieroglyphics etc. it is known that peoples of various civilizations possessed considerable information about the lives and uses of plants, particularly plants of agricultural and medicinal value. Their knowledge was for the most part, of a practical nature, although it did include some fundamental scientific discoveries, such as the discovery of sexuality in the date palm and of the importance of pollination in the development of fruits.
In the orient, the Indians and the Chinese had acquired considerable knowledge of plant cultivation and plant uses for food and medicine, at least 5000 years ago. The ancient races of America, who are regarded by anthropologists as being of Asiatic origin, possessed considerable knowledge concerning utilitarian aspects of plant life. The pre-Incas of Peru were apparently the first American race to plant corn or maize. From Peru, the culture of corn spread both northward and southward until by the early sixteenth century, corn was grown as the major crop plant from Argentina to the St. Lawrence River valley. The study of plants by all these ancient peoples was centered upon one major objective-the practical exploitation of plants as sources of food, beverages, fibres, wood, drugs, and other products which benefit the human life and civilization. Since their interests were so limited, and since they achieved little progress in the discovery and interpretation of fundamental natural laws, they could not be regarded as biologists or botanists.
Botanists usually recognize the beginnings of plant science in the Golden Age of Greece. Most of the early Greek botanists were physicians or drug sellers. About 340 B.C., Theophrastus—a pupil of Plato and Aristotle-wrote a History of Plants, in which he deals with the general morphology of roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits. Uses of ornamental plants and importance of vegetables and cereals are also given emphasis in this book.
Aristotle, himself, believed that plants had no sensory faculties, and no differences of sex. He reached the unique conclusion that animals have souls and plants do not.
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JAIN BIOLOGY