වල් උඳු[Wal Undu] (Flemingia macrophylla)

Wal Undu is a very rare shrub and according to the 2012 National Red List a plant which is possibly extinct from Sri Lanka. It is found in the low country and flowering January through march (Flora of Ceylon Vol 7). If my identification of above plant as Wal Undu  is correct, it is not uncommon in rubber plantations and adjoining home gardens of කැටේපොල [Katepola] village in Sabaragamuwa district. It is known as පෝර වැල් [Pora Wel] among villagers. We were able to found that it is also the food plant of one of another critically endangered butterfly Silver-Forget-Me. Flowers were not uncommon even during mid November.

Special thanks goes to Ishara Harshajith Wijewardhane - who discovered both plant and butterfly - for guiding us to above location.