Chapter 9 Section VI Botany Monograph "Southern Vegetation"

The earliest work in my country that specifically describes plants is "Southern Vegetables and Trees".There are different opinions in the academic circles about the date and author of this work, but it is generally believed that it was completed in the first year of Yongxing in the Western Jin Dynasty (304 AD), and the author was Ji Han (263-306 AD).The book is divided into three volumes: the first volume records 29 species of grass plants, the second volume records 28 species of wood plants, the second volume records 17 species of fruit plants and six species of bamboo.The records are all tropical and subtropical plants in southern my country.

"Southern Vegetation" classifies 80 kinds of plants into four categories according to their economic benefits.In addition to the two categories of grass and wood in the original "Erya", two categories of fruit and bamboo are added.The book pays special attention to the impact of the environment on plants.For example, it is described: "calamus: calamus grows in the stream", "Yuewang bamboo: the root grows on the rock", "Xunluxiang: grows in the sand", "Gui out of Hepu: grows on the top of a mountain", etc.The plant morphology, living environment, origin and use are described in detail, especially the biochemical characteristics of plant organs (such as floral fragrance, pigment, smell, etc.) are used as the basis for comparison and classification, which is very creative.For example, describe hibiscus flower: "The stems and leaves are like mulberry, the leaves are light and thick, the tree is only four or five feet high, and the branches and leaves are whirling. It blooms from February and rests in mid-winter. Its flowers are dark red and come out five times, as big as hollyhocks , with a core, longer than flowers and leaves, adorned with gold flakes, shone by the sun, suspiciously like flames. On one clump, hundreds of flowers bloom every day, bloom in the morning and fall in the evening, and the branches will live immediately. Out of Gaoliang County, a The name is Chibiscus, and the name is Riji.” The plant type, stem and leaf shape, flower core shape, flower color and number of flowers, and opening characteristics of hibiscus are all accurately and vividly described.

"Southern Vegetation" is not only a local flora, but also a true record of plant introduction and domestication.Most of the plants described have a description of the place of origin, and some also indicate the place of origin.For example, it is pointed out that Huangluxiang, henna, and uncaria were introduced from Daqin (ancient Roman Empire); jasmine and betel (juju) sauce were introduced from Fanguo.The introduction process is also described in detail.It is also recorded that there are yellow ants (jingjing) ants that can prevent pests of citrus trees: "Cochin people store ants in mat sacs, and those who put them in the market, their nests are like thin cotton, and the sacs are connected with branches and leaves. The ants are reddish-yellow and larger than ordinary ants. If there is no such ant in southern citrus, they will all be injured by beetles, and there will be no more ones.” This is the earliest record of artificial biological control of citrus pests, and it is still effectively used today. .

"Southern Vegetation" has important value in the history of botany in my country, and is also very influential in the world. In 1983, my country held an international symposium on "Southern Vegetation", which was attended by many scientists from the United States, France, Japan and other countries. international attention.