鸠摩罗什树寻踪与溯源

Tracing and Rooting of the Kumarajiva Tree

摘要: 陕西省鄠县罗什寺鸠摩罗什树，是法国梧桐即三球悬铃木(Platanus orientalis L.)的别称，属该种喜马拉雅山南麓的一种旱生类型，有别于我国广泛栽植的速生型法国梧桐。它于晋朝末年即公元5世纪，伴随着佛教的东传，由印度经陆路直接传入鄠县。原株于1940年末消亡，人们普遍认为此树在中国绝迹。其实，此前有人从原株取根蘖苗移栽或无性繁殖。西安市鄠邑区草堂寺现在保留有它的无性系分株3株，其传入时限1600年，经历了黄土高原干湿冷暖的沧桑巨变。它在这里能正常生长、开花结实和繁殖，可作为绿化乔木，在较干旱的地方试种和推广。

Abstract: The Kumarajiva Tree of Roshi Temple in Hu County, Shaanxi Province is another name for Platanus orientalis L. and belongs to a xeric type of this species at the southern foothills of the Himalayas. It is different from the fast-growing plane-type widely cultured in China. At the end of Jin Dynasty, that is, in the 5th century A.D., accompanied by Buddhism spreading from India to the eastern, it was introduced from India into Hu county by land. In the late 1940s the original plants died out and it is widely believed that this tree is extinct in China. In fact, before their die some people dug out tiller seedlings from the original plants and transplanted them or propagated them asexually. Caotang Temple in Huyi District, Xian city now retains 3 clonal ramets of Kumarajiva tree. Its introduction time limit is nearly 1600 years and it has experienced great changes of dry, wet, warm and cold in the Loess Plateau. It can grow normally, blossom, bear fruit and reproduce here and can be used as a greening tree for trial planting and promotion in arid areas.