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Jaina Biology
records of lotus seeds germinating 200 years after being shed.57 The ability of a seed to retain its germinating power depends on the thickness of the seed - coat, on a low water content, and on the presence of starch rather than fats as stored food material. Dormant seeds are alive and do metabolize, though at a very low rate.58
The reference to Jonibbhue bie (embryonic seed ), hypocotyle (first radicle = mula ), cotyledons (prathamapatras ), epicotyle (prathama Kišalaya ) and its development of growth (vivaddhamta ), their simultaneous birth, formation of plant body (samayam vakkamtāņam samayam tesim sariranivvatti ), receiving of matter (warmth and moisture, etc.) and respiration (samayam ānuggahanaṁ samayam ūsāsa-nisāse )59 suggests that germination is initiated by warmth and moisture and requires oxygen. The embryo and endosperm absorb water, swell and rupture the seed - coats ( Uggamamāna ).60 This frees the embryo and enables it to resume development ( Vivaddhamta ).
After germination the hypocotyle ( mūla ) elongates and emerges from the seed - coat ( vakkamai). "The primitive root or radicle grows out of the hypocotyle61 and since it is strongly and positively geotropic, it grows directly downward into the soil.”62 “The arching of the hypocotyle in a seed such as the bean pulls the cotyledons (i.e. prathamapatras ) and epicotyle (kiśalaya or aṁkura ) out of the seed - coat and the epicotyle, responding negatively, to the pull of gravity grows upward.63 The cotyledons ( prathamapatras ) digest, absorb and store food from the endosperm, while within the seed. The Cotyledons of some plants shrivel and drop off after germination; those of other plants become flat foliage leave. The cotyledons contain reserves of food that supply the growing seedling (kisalaya) until it develops enough chlorophyll to become independent. The stem (skandha ) and leaves ( patras ) develop from the epicotyle (first Kišalaya ).64 57. Ibid. 58. Ibid. 59. "Jonibbhūe bie jivo vakkamai so va anno vā / Jo vi müle jivo Sovi ya patta
padhamatāe" 1197 // " savvo vi kisalayo khalo uggamamäņo anamtayo bhaui / so ceva vivaddhaṁto hoi paritto anamto vã I, 98 //" "Samayam vakkam tanam samayam tesim sariranivvatti/Samayam nuggahanam samayam ūsasa-nisāse /99//
Paņņavaņā 1.54, 9-10, 97-9 60. Ibid. 61. Biology. p. 127.
2. lbid. 63. Biology, p. 187. 64. See above the embryonic development of plant.
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