Economic Botany Collection

Catalogue no.:

64700

Botanical classification:

ELAEOCARPACEAE Elaeocarpus ganitrus

Common name:

Rudraksha, Indian oil-fruit

Geographical description:

East Indies

Item description:

Charm

Length:

41cm

No. of beads:

1

Bead size:

1.6cm

Additional information:

Rudraksha literally means 'Shiva's Eye'. They are worn either in a rosary, or 'Mala' and are counted in a Japa, as decoration, or as talismans to ward off pain. Shiva worshippers have used Rudraksha beads since the 11th century and believe that they must wear a necklace of the seeds in order to obtain the heaven where Shiva resides.

Plant information:

Large evergreen tree found from North East India to Western Malaya. The fruit endocarp is made into necklaces for decoration, prayer or meditation.

Donor:

Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911) - was born in Halesworth, Suffolk. He studied at Glasgow and graduated MD in 1839. He became assistant surgeon on board HMS Erebus, exploring the southern oceans, and he collected plants whilst ashore. He became friends with Charles Darwin and was the first to hear of his theory of natural selection. Hooker made a journey to the central and eastern Himalaya collecting about 7000 plant species in India and Nepal, he also bought back several hundred specimens and artefacts for his father’s Museums of Economic Botany at Kew. He succeeded his father as director of Kew in 1865 and became president of the Royal Society in 1874. Hooker received honorary degrees from Oxford and Cambridge and won many other prizes and medals including the Darwin medal.