Chenarestan... In the shade of plane trees

Latest Pictures From Sari, Mazandaran, Iran

2005-09-25T00:15:00.000-07:00

A Photo Essay:
Chenars of Sari

Here in this webpage we already had articles about old Chenars and references to old chenars in the city of Sari:

"In fact many recorded old planes (Chenars) are located near the shrine of an Emam-zadeh, at or near a masque, a Takieh, an old cemetery, or similar “sacred” places.

For instance the 220 years old (20m high) plane at Emamzadeh Abbas and 140 years old (20m high) plane at Pir Takieh in Sari, northern province of Mazandaran. ..."
http://chenarestan.blogspot.com/2005/08/home-of-oriental-plane-tree-part-iii.html

My dear old friend Reza Tahmasbi, architect and planner, visited Iran last month and sent pictures from Chenars in the city of Sari, his hometown.

The pictures above and on the left are from Emamzadeh Abbas Chenar.

Unfortunately, he couldn't see the Pir-Takieh Chenar. Apparently it doesn't exist anymore.

Left: Picture of old Chenar in Chal-e Masjed
neigbourhood, downtownSari.

Left:
Khayyam Ave.
Sari

Left:
Farhang Ave.
Sari

A new meaningless trend:
Artificial elecrtronic trees..!

How Many "Sari"s do we have?

Before publishing this essay, I searched for the name Sari. I found about 75 names. I could zoom in on the maps for any of locations.
I was surprised when I realized that most of those names refer to places outside Mazandaran provnce. they located in northwestern provinces of Ardebil, western and eastern Azarbayjan and even on the west side of Caspian see in todays Azarbayjan Republic, in Kerman, Khuzestan or Hamedan......

In any pages below there is a list of places, with clicking on each name the map appears and you can zoom in.
http://www.indexmundi.com/zp/ir/55660.htm
http://www.indexmundi.com/zp/ir/55680.htm
http://www.indexmundi.com/zp/ir/55700.htm
http://www.indexmundi.com/zp/ir/55720.htm
http://www.indexmundi.com/zp/ir/55740.htm

For more information on plane tree (chenar) in Iran read the articles "Home of Oriental Plane Tree" --Siamak D. Ahi

2005-09-01T13:27:00.000-07:00

Home of Oriental Plane Tree Part IV
Chenar Wood
in Building
and Carpentry*

Plane (Chenar) wood is lightweight, hard (but easy to plane), with an attractive texture. It constitutes the main carpentry material in most non-wooded areas of the country, for instance in Isfahan, the farmers call it Mikh-e Tala-ee (golden peg) . Nowadays it is frequently used to make chests, doors, windows, parquet, veneer, etc.
Above: Aali Ghapoo Palace
Adam Olearius, the member of the embassy sent by Duke of Holstein-Gottorp to the Safavid court in Isfahan during the first half of 17th (11th) century , when writing about Persian decorative woodwork, reports that Persians “like specially a kind of wood , unknown in Europe, called Tzinar (i.e., Chenar)….It is brown and has a wavy grain, and the Persian use it for doors and windows, which, when rubbed with oil, become incomparably finer than those made here (I.e. Europe) of walnut.”

Below: Chehel Sotun Palace
The wooden columns in the former royal Safavid palaces Aali Ghapoo and Chehel Sotun in Isfahan (both built in first half of 11th century), are hewn out of plane logs to an average diameter of 60cm and still are holding firm in spite of severe insect damages.

Plane wood, usually obtained by pollarding the planes, is also used as fairly good fuel in some rural areas. (for individual presentation of plane in Persian painting, see Survey of Persian art XV, index, p.47, s.v. Plane trees)

Chenar Tree in Proverbs

For literary allusion to plane fire, in Dehkhoda dictionary we can read the proverb “ the plane fire is from the plane itself” and Farid-al-din Attar’s distich; “Every silkworm clothes itself with shroud, every plane tree ignites fire from itself.”

The statement by some Persian poet and lexicographers that “the plane is known to catch fire by itself” may have its explanation in flammability of dry plane wood: As in the primitive fire-making method of generating heat and then fire by the friction of two wooden objects, the dried spreading branches of an old plane rubbing together in the wind. Specially in dry weather may produce smoke or ignite fire from itself. Some of the above-mentioned “burnt planes” may have suffered from this phenomenon.

Fourty Colunm Palace has actually twenty columns. The name counts also their reflection in the pond.

*) Note:

The "Home of Oriental Plane Tree" parts, which comes with different titles, are taken from Encyclopaedia Iranica. The references and notes of original text are deleted, titles and subtitles are added to provide easy to read articles. For further study you can use http//www.Iranica.com --Siamak D. Ahi

Previous Parts:

Home of Oriental Plane Tree, Part I
http://chenarestan.blogspot.com/2005/07/home-of-oriental-plane-tree.html
Oriental Plane Tree and Healing, Part II
http://chenarestan.blogspot.com/2005/07/home-of-oriental-plane-tree-part-ii.html
Veneration of Old Trees, Part III
http://chenarestan.blogspot.com/2005/08/home-of-oriental-plane-tree-part-iii.html

Are Chenars of Iran Invisible …!?

2005-08-28T02:00:00.000-07:00

If in European sources, the history of art, architecture or philosophy starts with Greece or Rome, it is their choice….. We are used to it!

But if it comes to animals and plants, how can one limit the search within the cultural or political borders? Particularly on a subject like oriental plane tree, Chenar. Which is so big in size, … that is hard to miss!

It has probably become a habit in Europe, not to look at Asia or Middle East, even when it comes to plants. Otherwise, at least in case of Chenar, there is no need for a team of scientists to look for it all around the world. Chenar is visible in many pictures of many cities on TV everyday. We are supposed to believe that we are living in a global village in terms of communication.

But it is sad for our era, to see in many well known websites and sources some experts close their eyes. The reason I say that, is my search in a few German websites, where I didn’t see any mention of Chenar in countries like Turkey and Iran.

Anyway, I am going to present the interesting facts about Chenar in the German sources too. --Siamak D. Ahi
The piece below is from http://www.botanikus.de/ and I liked it because of some old medical use of different parts of Chenar:

The botanic names of Chenar literally indicate the “oriental” and “occidental”; Platanus orientalis and Platanus occidentalis.

The usual plane tree grows with us (i.e. Germany) as road-side tree, in gardens and parks.

The plane tree is not used in the medicine anymore. But it in the past it was used in different ways, such as:
the fruits of the plane trees, soaked in wine was used for snake bites and scorpion passes;
the leafs and the crust for inflammations,
the leafs for eye diseases,
the crust also for toothache.

Chinar in Kashmir

2005-08-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

In search for Oriental Plane Tree, I couldn't find Kashmir as a home of Chenar, or as Kashmiri call it Chinar.
Thanks to Internet, I found a valuable friend across the globe in Kashmir. Our dear Virendra Qazi, once described his memories and feelings about chenar tree in the past..... Memories that many Tehranians share the same way. The picture above is from "The Chenar Bagh, Sringar, Kashmir".
I will post more on Chinar and Kashmir in the future. This is just an introduction to Chinar and Kashmir. --Siamak D. Ahi

This is how Kashmiris describe Chinar as one of their local plants:
Called Booune in the Kashmiri language, the Chinar tree is an integral part of Kashmiri culture. Almost every village in the valley has a Chinar tree. You can experience a cool breeze under the shadow of this majestic tree which is very conducive to health.

It is unfortunate that in recent years the number of Chinar trees is decreasing. It is no wonder that if the present trend continues, the day is not far-off when the tree will see its extinction from the land of Kashmir. However, it is heartening to note the government is making its honest best to stop the illegal felling of this great tree of Kashmir.

Chinar is a gigantic sized tree, found growing throughout valley. Its scientific name is platanus orientalis. Its family is plataneae. A deciduous tree, Chinar traces its origin to Greece. Its incredible beauty has to be seen to be believed. The tree is at its most elegance and exuberance during autumn. Though its majesty can be seen all through the year. Iqbal, the poet of the East, traces the warmth of the Kashmir soil to the "blaze of Chinars it nurses in its bosom".

Chinar grows up to a height of 25 meters and a girth exceeding 50 feet in certain cases. This tree with the largest circumference of 60 feet is located at a village named Chattergam in central Kashmir.

These days conscious efforts are being made to undertake plantation of this tree to other states. The tree has been successfully planted in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun and Meerut. But the size and girth attained in these places are no parallel to those of the tree in Kashmir valley.

2005-08-15T18:28:00.000-07:00

Home of Oriental Plane Tree Part III
Siamak D. Ahi

Veneration of Old Trees

Della Valle’s remarks on relation of Persians and large and old trees is quite interesting;

Persians have “a custom of venerate all large and old trees, Believing that these are the retreat of happy souls whom … they call Pir, Sheikh or Imam…”.

Also J. Chardin states that:
“The Mohammedans devoutly revere trees which seem to have existed for several centuries.”

Veneration of old trees seem to have an ancient tradition in Persia. Xerxes is said to have decorated a beautiful plane tree with golden ornaments during his expedition against Greece. (Herodotus, Polo)

In fact many recorded old planes (Chenars) are located near the shrine of an Emam-zadeh, at or near a masque, a Takieh, an old cemetery, or similar “sacred” places.

For instance the 220 years old (20m high) plane at Emamzadeh Abbas and 140 years old (20m high) plane at Pir Takieh in Sari, northern province of Mazandaran. In Kaagak, a county of Gonaabaad, the 420 years old plane (21m high) is located in front of Masjed-e Baalaa. In Rostam-Kalaaateh, in Gorgan, the 205 years old (30m high) is at old cemetery.

Some of the more venerable of old planes are popularly believed or expected to work miracles, such as curing an illness, finding a good husband for an unwed girl, or ridding a married woman of her cowife.

In order to have their wishes grated, superstitious people (usually women) tie a dakheel (mostly a shred from their chador, scarf, dress and the like) to a nail which they drive well into plate trunk. They may use a nail left by someone whose wish has been granted and untied her dakhil. If there are accessible shoots or twigs on the trunk, the dakhil may be tied on them.

Votive candles may also be lit somewhere on the trunk or, if the trunk base has been hollowed out by age, inside the grotto.

In Tehran, two of the oldest planes still extant at old sanctuary of Emamzadeh Yahya, bear the vestiges of old and recent dakheels.

One plane is now standing outside the premises of Emamzadeh. Known as Chenar-e Sookhteh (burnt plane), for the huge hollow in the trunk base has been charred by the smoke and flame of votary candles and lamps. The entrance to tree grotto was barred later bay a door.

Another miracle-working plane in Tehran, known as Haft Chenar (The seven planes), is located near a small masque in a southwestern district of the city. Tis plane loks like seven independent planes having grown to each other, but tha seven massive trunks have developed from a single enormous base, which is now almost totally buried in ground. The seven-bole plane, signalized by the “sacredness” of the number seven, bears also dakhils, and the small grotto in one of the boles is charred.

The popular veneration for old planes and similar longevous trees like cypresses, may in some cases have created fictitious patron saints for them.

For instance, in connection with the plane of Emamzadeh Saleh, is popularly believed to be the nephew of eight imam, Imam Reza. Hedaaayat has recorded a folktale about origin of that plane.

Within the Arg precinct in Tehran there were a number of old chenars, known as Chenar-e abbasi and popularly but erroneously ascribed to Abbas. According to E’temad-al-saltaneh, they had been planted by the order of Shah Abbas

Will Continue

2005-08-02T16:58:00.000-07:00

Chenar, Plane Tree in Palace

Versailles Palace
in France

Saadabad Palace
in Tehran

Za'faranieh Ave.
Teheran

Many thanks to Golemaryam
for sending Za'faranieh Ave. picture

2005-07-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

Home of Oriental Plane Tree Part II
Siamak D. Ahi

Oriental Plane Tree
and
Healing

.

Another probable reason for popularity of plane in Persia is that people believe that this tree prevents the spread of infectious fever and diseases the germ of which are found in the air. This sanitary effect of planes is not recorded anywhere in our early sources.

Medical properties and uses were found out for plane tree by Dioscorides and Galen. The physicians and pharmacologists of Islamic world in the Middle Ages have added hardly anything new to the findings of the Greek masters.

Concerning the (Galenic) mezaaj (temperament, nature) the plane, Galen states that:
“The essence of the plane is moist and not far from moderate things.”

The Medieval Islamic period don’t seem to concur with him or each other.

To Tabari:
“The plane is cold and moist”.
Majoosi believes that:
“The temperament of fresh plane leaves is cold and dry”.
Heravi thinks that:
“It is cold and dry in the first degree.”
And Ebn Sina states that:
“It is cold in the first degree, its bark and jouz [literally “Nut” or “Walnut, here globular fruit] are highly dry, detergent, and siccative.”

Animals and Plane Tree: An interesting, probably new, point in these non-Greek authors concerns the noxious or repelling effect of the plane on certain animals.

Majoosi says that
“The khoffash (bat) dies of its leaves if these are burned.”
Heravi states that”
“If plane leaves and barks are burned, parsatoo (swallow) will die of their smoke”

Ebn Sina seems to have the correct reading of the name of the animals involved. He stressed that the plane leave and barks will kill khananfes.

Tonokaaboni is probably the first Islamic pharmacologist-physician to have discussed plane ‘aragh (distillate) and its property. He explains how to obtain it from the barks, leaves and fruits of the plane. He stressed that it is “highly beneficial against asthma, zeegh-al-nafas. As to disillate from the roots, he specifies that it fortifies the body, the stomach, and the nerve, fattens the body, is good against piles, “cold” diseases, muscular tremor, dropsy stesgha , and belly ache. This distillate, he says ”causes some euphoria, but it is not inebriating.”
Once in Persia the ‘aragh from plane leaves was commercialized (by Targol Co. Tehran) and advertised as “very cold, febrifuge, fattening thin persons, useful against neurosis, muscular tremor, and asthma.”

Will Continue

See also:
http://chenarestan.blogspot.com/2005/07/around-greek-plane-tree.html

From:

www.irteb.com پايگاه اطلاع رساني پزشكان ايران

دارو

گل خشک شده درخت چنار

( Platanus orientalis)

طرز تهیه و استعمال

به صورت پودر تهیه و در بینی ریخته شود

نسخه

جهت جلوگیری از خونریزی

2005-07-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

When That Oriental Plane Was Still Alive..

When
That Oriental Plane
Was Still Alive

This piece is a memoy of Chenar-e Emam-zadeh Saleh, in Tajrish, Tehran; when it was still alive. See also:

http://chenarestan.blogspot.com/2005/07/chenar-e-emamzadeh-saleh.html

From Hamshahri newspaper on Jul. 21. 2005 --Siamak D. Ahi.

دوران دبيرستان كه زمان نوجواني بود، گهگاه براي زيارت امامزاده صالح(ع) كه فوق العاده مورد علاقه من بود از راهي دور(حدود ميدان وليعصر(عج)) بعضا پاي پياده و بدون احساس خستگي عازم تجريش مي شدم. پس از زيارت

و دمي آسودن در كنار قيل و قال زائران به تماشاي درخت كهنسالي مشغول مي شدم كه آن زمان نامش را نمي دانستم. با ابهت ويژه اي سر بر آسمان مي سائيد و پاي در زمين محكم داشت

بلنداي آن درخت، پهناي تنه وگرزن زيبايش يك دنيا صفاي عارفانه داشت كه به مقتضاي جواني احساس مي كردم و غرق در لذت مي شدم. عصرهاي پنج شنبه كه اغلب موعد ديدار من بود چنار كهنسال جلوه ديگري داشت كه از بيان آن عاجزم. صدها شمع روشن كه با شعله هاي لرزان توسط حاجتمندان درگاه مقدس امامزاده صالح(ع) روشن شده بود، در پناه درخت كهنسال با گرماي ملايم سوسو مي زدند. آرام آرام رو به خاموشي مي رفتند و حالتي روحاني در هر بيننده ايجاد مي كردند. حدود سالهاي 1332 تا 1334 بود. مسافت تا تجريش را در حالي طي مي كردم كه آبي زلال و صاف و گوارا در جوي دو طرف خيابان سمت جنوب جريان داشت كه زمزمه جويبار و نواي پرندگان در سكوت آن زمان غوغا مي كرد و خستگي را با جرعه اي آب روان برطرف مي كرد.

آخر آن روزها از اين همه آلودگي اثري نبود. مردم بنابر اعتقادات خود، همچون حالا، آب را مهريه دخت گرامي پيامبر(ص) مي دانستن

در هر ديدار شاهد پژمردگي و كاستي صلابت آن درخت بودم كه به پيري نزديك و نزديكتر مي شد. بيماري درخت برايم كاملا محسوس بود. من اين ضعف را اينك كه عمري تجربه كرده ام ناشي از حرارت صدها شمع روشن مي دانم كه گاه باعث بيرون زدگي شيره نباتي مي شد كه به سرخي مي گرائيد.

سالهاي ۱۳۴۵-1342 شكاف هايي در تنه چنار پيدا شد و از گستردگي گرزن، روز به روز كاسته مي شد. پيري زودرس آرام آرام مشهود و آثار مرگ درخت رفته رفته نمايان مي شد. به خاطر جلوگيري از باز شدن شكاف ها تنه را با تسمه بستند تا شايد زنده بماند و جاني دوباره يابد.

در همين سالها تنها يك شاخه انشعابي از تنه نشانه اي از زنده بودن اين درخت مقدس بود تا باورش بدارند زائران با خلوص نيت به خواندن دعاي اهل قبور كه به تنه بي جان چنار نصب شده بود، مشغول مي شدند و اشكي هم از ديده جاري مي شد يا با شيره نباتي بيرون زده از تنه به سر و سينه مي زدند.

امروز با كمال تاسف ديگر از آن همه صلابت و زيبايي درخت كهنسال اثري نيست و تنها سكويي به جاي مانده كه زيستگاه و بستر حيات درخت بود كه يادآور خاطره شيرين آن درخت عظيم است . امروز هم باز برهمان سكو شمع روشن مي كنند، در حالي كه از ميزبان و جلوه گري او اثري نيست؛ به جز عكس و خاطره اي نه چندان شيرين

اين درختانند همچون خاكيان
دست ها بر كرده اند از خاكدان
با زباني سبز و دستان دراز
از ضمير خاك مي گويند راز

اميرحسين داراب زند

2005-07-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

Home of Oriental Plane Tree. Siamak D.Ahi........................

Home
--------
Of
---
Oriental
-----------
Plane Tree
---------------
part one

Siamak D. Ahi

On
Chenar
and
Chenar-estan

.

Oriental Plane is Indigenous

From Southern Europe to the Iranian Plateau.

In Persia, Proper, Spontaneous Planes Observed.

Spontaneous Oriental Planes
--------------------------------------
Botanists observed proper, Spontaneus Oriental Planes in several places In Iran:
Azerbaijan,…...... Khoy.
Kermanshahan,.....…. Harsin.
Hamedan, Luristan, …......Khoram-abad, Shahbazan.
Bakhtiari, ….......Sefid-dasht, mountains up to Sar-dasht.
Khouzestan, ......….Gat-vand.
Fars,............ near Shiraz, near Ghaar-e Shah-pour, Kazeroun, Sabz-poushan.
Kerman,…....... Mount Nasr up to 2600 above sea level
Khorasan, ….......Bojnoord, Torbat-e Jam.
Qum, …........Raah-jerd.
Gilan, …........Rood-baar, highlands between Lowshan and Amaar-loo.
Mazandaran, ….........Kojoor, haraaz valley, Punjaab.
Southern Alborz region, .............including Tehran area
Between Katool and Damghan ...........wild plane groves have seen also been reported
In Kurdistan,........ It is commonly known as Chenar also designates the white poplar.
A variety of plane is called Jowhar-daar in Kurdish.

Popularity
-------------
and
-----
Practicality
--------------

The popularity and wide distribution of cultivated planes as ornamental or shade trees in Persia, especially in gardens and along city streets, are due to several features of plane. It grows rapidly, specially when young, and may reach 30m (and sometimes more) in height, with a spreading crown, large palmate leaves (compared by some Persian poets to spread human hands). A lofty trunk, usually upright and slightly tapering. At the base, when advanced in years, develops abnormally into an enormous, often squad mass, which old age hollows out.

It can be easily manipulated and propagated in various ways: by seeds, cutting the shoots or by layering the shoots.

Planes grow best in rich, deep, cool and moist soils. Actually they need plenty of moisture at their roots.They survive but don’t thrive in dry, clay or saline soils.

Further, so far as modern Persian cities are concerned planes are resilient to air pollution and to polluted irrigating water running in open city water channels.

Longevity
--------------
of
----
Oriental Plane
--------------------

2000 Years or Longer....

Longevity of plane tree is also impressive: 2000 years or longer.

In 1968-69, Iran started to locate and register trees again all over the country. The trees had to be at least one hundred years old. The Identity records of trees show great many planes, including:

The Oriental plane of Shahmirzaad is 1500 years old and 25 meter high. circumference of its trunk at 1m above ground level is 15m. In Targh, a village of Natanz, there is a 1300 years old Plane. 7.8m in circumference and 25 meter high.

Will Continue

related stories:
Greek plane tree and Healing; http://chenarestan.blogspot.com/2005/07/around-greek-plane-tree.html
Chenar-e Emamzadeh Saleh: http://chenarestan.blogspot.com/2005/07/chenar-e-emamzadeh-saleh.html

2005-07-15T19:46:00.000-07:00

C h e n a r e s t a n

i n

P r o g r e s s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

T h e . C i t y . o f . O r i e n t a l . P l a n e . T r e e

.................................................................................

Chenarestan-e Tehran

Siamak D. Ahi

Oriental Plane tree is the official tree of Tehran. It has been planted by the City of Tehran on most streets for decades. Plane tree has been native of Tehran for hundreds of years. The Leaf of Oriental Plane is city's symbol and used in their publications. Four centuries ago Plane trees of Tehran were described by European diplomat as follows (from encyclopaedia Iranica):

The Italian diplomat Pietro della Valle, writing in June 1618 about then village of Tehran, Says:

“All streets are shaded by planes, which in Persian they call it cinar; big, luxuriant and handsome. And I must say I have not seen in all my life any bigger or more beautiful. Many of them are so thick that two or three men could not embrace them.”

City Plane Tree ... a .n ..d ...Snow

2005-07-10T18:29:00.000-07:00

from above
Tehran in Snow

from below
Vali-e Asr Ave.

Plane Tree, Colombia Encyclopedia

2005-07-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

sycamore, or buttonwood, any species of the genus Platanus, deciduous trees of most temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, exclusive of Africa. The hairy, dry, seedlike fruits are densely packed into a hard brown ball, hence the name buttonwood. The large American sycamore, or plane (P. occidentalis), supplies a hardwood popular for carpentry, furniture, and butchers’ blocks. The Oriental plane (P. orientalis) of the Mediterranean area and W Asia is used for wood pulp. The London plane (P. acerifolia), sometimes miscalled Oriental plane, is much planted as an ornamental shade tree in cities; it is probably a hybrid of the American and Oriental planes. Sycamore is sometimes spelled sycomore, but should not be confused with the unrelated sycomore fig (Ficus sycomorus) of the family Moraceae. Plane trees are classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Hamamelidales, family Platanaceae.

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright © 2004 Columbia University Press.

Around a Greek Plane Tree

2005-07-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

The report and story of Terje Raa is about a Greek Island, where every summer is being invaded by thousands of young tourists. All of them want to go to one particular place. That particular place is under a 2400 years old Plane tree. Plane tree of Hippocrates. Under Hippocrates in the heart of a town called Kos, everybody feels young.

About the small square where the tree stands, pavements, buildings around it, about the history of Kos and "Oath of Hippocrates", about the people who read secretly this Oath ....that doctors all over the world know about..... read:

http://www.artist-at-large.com/kos.htm
By: Tejre Raa, June 2004

Nature Monuments

2005-07-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

Turkey - Kastamonu - Beldeğirmeni Village Plane Tree

Place: Kastamonu, İnebolu Characteristics: A 800 years old and 50 meters tall plane tree that have a diameter of 2.30 meters and circumference length of 9 meters. Foundation Date: 21.04.1995
http://goturkey.kultur.gov.tr/turizm_en.asp?belgeno=10704

Oriental Plane Tree

2005-07-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

The oriental plane tree, Platanus orientalis, is a very close relative of the common sycamore, Platanus occidentalis, of Eastern North America. In several translations of the Bible a species of fig is called sycamore, a corruption of "sycamine". Figs and plane trees are unrelated. The oriental plane has broad leaves, mottled brown and white bark, and small inconspicuous flowers which develop into the spherical ball-like fruits typical of the of the sycamore native to eastern North America.

At one time the oriental plane may have been more widely distributed in the Middle East but is now commonly planted as a street tree. The largest native stands are found along the upper reaches of the Jordan river as well as along springs and rivers in Jordan and Syria.

After Laban had removed the streaked and spotted of the flock, those mottled like the trunk of the plane tree, he distanced himself from his son-in-law. Jacob then designed a genetics experiment to insure that he would indeed receive the blessing promised to him by God (Genesis 30:37). He peeled the bark off three species of trees and thinking they would determine the type of offspring, put them in front of the watering troughs where the animals would see them. How did he learn this?

As noted in Ezekiel 31:8, the tree can reach a large size and be very attractive. Ezekiel emphasizes perhaps because the branches of the plane tree in contrast to the "boughs of the pine" because an old plane tree can have very thick branches

http://web.odu.edu/webroot/instr/sci/plant.nsf/pages/planetree

Chenars of Old Shemiran Road

2005-07-09T18:43:00.000-07:00

Dr. Shariaty Ave. Photo: N. Kasraeean

The Travellers and the Plane-Tree

2005-07-09T18:32:00.000-07:00

Aesop's Fablesby Aesop

Two Travellers were walking along a bare and dusty road in the heat of a summer's day. Coming presently to a Plane-tree, they joyfully turned aside to shelter from the burning rays of the sun in the deep shade of its spreading branches. As they rested, looking up into the tree, one of them remarked to his companion, "What a useless tree the Plane is! It bears no fruit and is of no service to man at all." The Plane-tree interrupted him with indignation. "You ungrateful creature!" it cried: "you come and take shelter under me from the scorching sun, and then, in the very act of enjoying the cool shade of my foliage, you abuse me and call me good for nothing!"— Many a service is met with ingratitude.

Chenar-e Emamzadeh Saleh

2005-07-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

Thehran, Tajrish, drawn in 1887

In 1881, Ms. Dieulafoy was much impressed by a colossal, odd-looking Oriental Plane in “Tajreesh” masque. in northern Tehran.

Its circumference reached “nearly fifteen meter”, shaded the activities of a great many people. Including a primary school master and his classes, and a Ghahve-chi (tea-shop keeper) who had installed his Samavar and his paraphernalia inside the hollow trunk in tree base.

H.Rawlinson said that in “Tajreesh”, … he measured a great Chenar which had a girth of 108 feet at 5 feet from the ground.