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THE EVOLUTION OF PLANT REPRODUCTION ACCORDING TO
JAINA LITERATURE
J C. Sikdar
It appears from the study of the Jaina Āgamas that in plants, much more clearly than in animals, an evolutionary sequence is evident caogiog from forms, such as, the blue greens (algae)1 and bacterial which repro. duce by asexual means, to ones with complicated life cycles and highly cvolved adaptations until it is capable of leading an independont life. Some of the lower forms, such as, fungi (panaga) which bag no reproductive specializations, produce billions of spores so that by chance a few will fall in an environment favourable for germination and survival. The higher plants may produce no more than a few score seeds 4 per plant but each seed has a fairly good chance of growing into a mature plant.
Asexual Reproduction According to Jaloa Biology, asexual reproduction takes place in plant life. Asexual reproduction is characterized by the presence of a singlo parent, one that splits, buds, fragmeots or produces many spores 80 as to give rise to two or more offspringe, It 18 stated in the Satrakrianga that there are, all in all, in the world four kinds of seeds (for reproduction), viz. seeds generated at the top (of the plant), (2) at its root, (3) at its knots and (4) at its stem.? According to the sced and place (of growth) of these plants, some beings born in earth, originated in earth, and grown lo carth, having in it their birth, origin, and growth, being impelled by their Karman, and coming forth in it on account of their Karman, growing there 10 particles of earth, origin of various things-come forth as trees 8
For most bloe-green-algael nad plant bacteria asexual reproduction is the only means by which new individuals are produced Even in the higher plants reproduction may take place asexually 10 a variety of ways, as pointed out, e. g. plants from seeds generaed at the top of the plant), at its root, at its knots, and at it stem," Rice plants grow from seeds, gingers from roota, sugarcane from knots and plantains from stem, 1 : roge plant from shoot, onion from bulb(kanda), and grasses have spontaneous reproduction Sarhmurcchima),18
Most of the cultivated trees and shrubs are reproduced from the cutting of stems, which sprout roots at their tips when placed in moist ground, e. g. sugarcane. 14 A number of commercial plants--bananas (Kad alt),26 etc. have lost their ability to produce functional seeds and must be propagated entirely by asexual means from the stem.16
seeds and us (kadan
on the stem
