植物文化研究的回顾与展望

Review and progress of research on plant culture

将"植物文化"定义为"人类和植物的选择关系和协同演化,以及由此而形成的以植物为载体和诱因的成果类型和行为方式",并确定其7个方面的研究内容.回顾了过去30年植物文化研究在植物命名、食用选择、药用选择、阅赏选择、崇拜选择等5个方面取得的重要进展.植物命名方法,在植物名称古今对照、中拉对照方面成就较大.食用选择主要在食用原植物考证、果蔬栽培史和栽培作物起源等方面有进展.药用选择的成就主要是中药和民族药的原植物考证.阅赏选择则在花文化、园林植物、经典名物考证、古树名木研究等4个方向均有进展.崇拜选择主要在礼制植物、宗教植物、民俗植物有一定的研究成果.植物文化研究面临文化复兴的机遇,资源独厚,有望在各个方面取得方法突破和成果创新.

The term 'plant culture' is defined as the selection and coevolution of mankind and plants,as well as the resulting material wealth,and the behavioral influence of plants. The research of plant culture includes seven areas: plant nomenclature,their use as food,medicine,wood,the appreciation of plants,their use as symbols,and ecology. Here,the research in five of these areas(plant nomenclature,food,medicine,appreciation,and symbols) over the last 30 years is reviewed. The major achievement in plant nomenclature has been exegetics from ancient Chinese names to current and Latin nomenclature. The research in plant selection for food has made great progress in the fields of original plants used as crops,the cultivation history of vegetables and fruits,and the origin of crops. The study of plant selection in medicine has made progress in the use of original plants of traditional Chinese medicine and ethnobotany. The research in plant selection for the appreciation of plants,including floristic culture,ornamental plants,plant exegetics of Chinese classics and ancient trees,has improved significantly. As for plant selection as symbols,there is some progress in the use of plants in rites,religion and customs. The research of plant culture will aid the cultural renaissance strategy sponsored by the Chinese government,as well as the cultural resources. It is expected that there will be much future progress in each of these research areas.