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我国古代苜蓿的植物学研究考

花匠小妙招
2024-11-10 19:18

摘要： 我国古代苜蓿植物学研究堪称世界一流,然而到目前为止,对其研究考证尚属少见。本文以记载苜蓿植物学的相关典籍为材料,采用植物考据学方法,考证我国古代苜蓿植物学研究。重点考证了汉代引种苜蓿的原产地、古代苜蓿的分布与适应性和苜蓿形态特征特性等。考证表明,古代首先阐明了我国苜蓿的来源和栽培区域,其次是阐明了从西域引种的苜蓿为紫花苜蓿,并对根、枝条、叶和果等苜蓿形态特征有正确的认识。《史记·大宛列传》和《汉书·西域传》都记载了我国汉代苜蓿来源于大宛和罽宾,这是我国对苜蓿栽培史的世界性贡献。汉代至唐宋西北地区种植苜蓿已颇为广泛,到明代苜蓿以“三晋为盛,秦、鲁次之,燕、赵又次之,江南人不识也”。苜蓿的根、枝条、叶和花、果、实等的形态特征也得到了广泛的科学系统研究,特别是苜蓿花色的研究为确定我国古代栽培苜蓿种提供了可靠的依据。唐代韩鄂在《四时纂要》中明确指出,苜蓿“紫花时,大益马”。明代的朱橚《救荒本草》、王象晋《群芳谱》和清代的吴其濬《植物名实图考》等专著都记载了苜蓿开紫花,唯有明代李时珍《本草纲目》记载的是苜蓿开黄花。后人研究表明,前者为紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa)(汉代引入的苜蓿即此),后者为南苜蓿(M. hispida),而吴其濬《植物名实图考》中提到的另一种开黄花的野苜蓿应该是黄花苜蓿(M. falcata)。通过本研究,可揭示我国古代对苜蓿特性的认识过程,对今天我们更好地认识苜蓿、利用苜蓿起借鉴作用。

Abstract: Utilising records of alfalfa botany in ancient texts, this research investigated alfalfa textology in ancient China. Alfalfa was introduced to China during the Han dynasty. The distribution and adaptation of alfalfa in ancient China and morphological characteristics of alfalfa are stressed. The research clarified the source and cultural area of alfalfa and confirmed Medicago sativa as the species identified as alfalfa after consideration of alfalfa morphological characteristics including roots, branches, leaves and fruit. It was recorded in “Dayuan Liezhuan” of the Shiji and “Xiyuzhuan”, Hanshu that alfalfa was introduced from Dayuan and Jiben during the Han dynasty. From the Han to the Tang and Song dynasties, alfalfa was widely planted in Northwest China. During the Ming dynasty, alfalfa was mostly planted in Sanjin, with smaller areas in Qin and Lu, followed by Yan and Zhao, but there is no record of alfalfa being planted in Jiangnan. Records of flower color provide reliable evidence ascertaining alfalfa was cultivated in ancient China. According to Han Er (Si Shi Zhuan Yao) it was regarded as particularly beneficial for horses during the Tang dynasty. The presence of purple flowers in alfalfa was also recorded in Jiu Huang Ben Cao by Zhu Su during the Ming dynasty, Qun Fang Pu by Wang Xiangjin during the Ming dynasty and in Zhi Wu Ming Shi Tu Kao by Wu Qijun during Qing dynasty. One author, Li Shizhen recorded that alfalfa had yellow flowers, in Ben Cao Gang Mu during the Ming dynasty. This was probably M. hispida or possibly M. falcata, which Wu Qijun recorded in Zhi Wu Ming Shi Tu Kao. It is informative to understand and utilize alfalfa today with knowledge of the utilization of alfalfa and its characteristics in ancient China.