අඹවිල [Amba wila] (Limnophila repens)

An indigenous decumbent or erect herb widespread in paddy fields, marshlands, etc. from wet lowlands to lower hills. Occasionally also occurs in the wet places of the dry lowlands. Flowering throughout the year.  

Carrot grass/Carrot weed (Parthenium hysterophorus)

Native herb of tropical America. Probably introduced into Sri Lanka in 1988 since it was first observed at the School of Agriculture at Vavuniya which Indian Peace Keeping Force occupied at that time. Now a widely spreading invasive weed of abandoned fields, waste lands, roadsides and cultivated grounds. The plant is toxic and can cause skin and respiratory system problems.

These plant were observed at a roadside location close to the Mathale town (7°27.769'N, 80°37.767'E)

Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis [Syn: Tecoma capensis])

An introduced ornamental shrub native to the southern Africa. Cultivated in gardens.

පුපුල/හීන් බෝටිය[Pupula/Hin botiya] (Jeffreycia zeylanica [Syn: Vernonia zelylanica])

Common endemic shrub occurs in track sides in patanas, dunes bordering forest scrub at sea level and roadsides up to about 1000 m altitude. Flowering most of the year. 

Blue Lotus (Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea [Syn: Nymphaea capensis])

An introduced aquatic herb with floating leaves, native to the Africa. Cultivated and also escaped and naturalized in ponds and tanks. Flowering throughout the year. Often confused with the national flower of Sri Lanka - Nymphaea nouchali

Torenia polygonoides [Legazpia polygonoides]

Recent addition to the Flora of Sri Lanka*. Rather rare introduced herb of marshy areas of the southwestern wet zone. Usually grows under shade of shrubs. But also occurs on open places.

* Illustrated field guide to the flowers of Sri Lanka Volume 2, J. & J. de Vlas,2014 

Salvia misella [Salvia riparia]

An introduced perennial herb native to Mexico to Peru and West Indies. Introduced as an ornamental. Escaped and naturalized along roadsides in partial shade in the lower hills and dry lowlands from 200 - 2000 m elevations. Flowering from March to December.

ගැටපිච්ච[Getapichcha]/Arabian jasmin(Jasminum sambac)

Commonly cultivated erect or scandent introduced shrub native to the India. 

Sapphire Fluterer (Rhyothemis triangularis)

Rather rare dragonfly found in marshes, ditches, tanks and slow moving rivers, mainly in the low country wet zone. But there are records also from drier parts of the island. 

අක්කපාන/රට ගෝවා [Akkapana/Rata Gova]/Air plant/Coirama (Kalanchoe pinnata [Syn: Bryophyllum pinnatum])

An introduced herb with fleshy leaves native to the Africa. Naturalized on open rocky places of the low country up to about 1200 m elevations. Probably introduced to Sri Lanka shortly before 1837.

Yellow tabebuia (Handroanthus serratifolius[Tabebuia serratifolia])

Native tree of central and south America. Cultivated as an ornamental tree. Flowering from December to March.

කහ ගෝන කොළ [Kaha Gona Kola] (Adenosma camphorata)

An endemic herb occurs in damp places close to ditches or a watercourse in the wet lowlands below 700 m a.s.l. Flowering from March to December*.

*Flowers observed end of January of  plants growing along the roadside of a fragmented wet lowland forest patch. 

Cuphea micropetala

An introduced woody herb native to the Mexico. Cultivated in gardens. Naturalized plants recorded from a seepage area of a tea estates in Lindula and a disturbed forest near Diyaluma falls (Flora of Ceylon Vol 9).

රත් නෙ‍ටුල්[Rat Netul]/Rosy Flowered Leadwort (Plumbago indica)

An introduced shrub probably native to the Southeast Asia. Cultivated as a medicinal plant since its roots and leaves are used in traditional medicine. Flowering from December to March and rarely from August to December. 

අහු[Ahu]/Great Morinda/Indian Mulberry (Morinda citrifolia)

Common native shrub or small tree occurs mainly along the coast in the wet zone. Also cultivated in inland places. Flowering from September to October. Its roots, leaves and fruits are used in traditional medicine.

Preyer plant (Maranta leuconeura)

An introduced ornamental pot plant native to the Brazil. Cultivated in gardens. 

හෙන්දිරික්කා[Hendirikka]/False Jalapa/Four o' clock, Marvel of Peru(Mirabilis jalapa)

Native herb of Peru. Introduced as an ornamental and cultivated in home gardens. Also escaped and naturalized in waste places. Flowers occurs in white, yellow, purple or pink forms. Flowers open in the late afternoon and close in the morning. Hence the vernacular name Four o' clock.

බූ සේරු[Bu-Seru](Premna tomentosa)

Common native tree or shrub grows in the dry and intermediate low country up to about 1200 m (1500 m?) altitude. Wood use in carving, furniture building and construction industries. Leaves, roots and barks have medicinal values. 

Spathiphyllum cannifolium

Native herb of tropical America. Introduced as an ornamental and cultivated in gardens. Possibly also naturalized in shaded places.  Flowering throughout the year.

අඳු\ගඳකුප්ප[Andu/Gadhakuppa]/Long Coriander/Stink weed (Eryngium foetidum)

An introduced herb native to tropical America. Cultivated and also naturalized along forest edges, shaded or sunny disturbed areas, stream banks, etc. from 550 - 800 m around Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden. The plant has a very strong unpleasant bug like smell.

මදුරු තලා [Maduru Thala]Sacred Basil/Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum)

Common native herb occurs along roadsides and open waste places from lowlands to about 530 m elevations. Flowering from December to August. 

පතොක් [Pathok]Velvet opuntia/Nopales opuntia (Opuntia cochenillifera)

An introduced high-growing cactus native to Southern Mexico. Cultivated in gardens as an ornamental and also as a hedge plant.

කටු කරඬු[Katu Karadu]/Yellow Hedge Barleria (Barleria prionitis)

Common indigenous prickly shrub in open waste places and scrub lands in the dry zone. Sometimes also cultivated as a hedge plant. in village dwellings. Flowering from March to August. Whole plant, especially its roots medicinal.

Coral vine/Mexican Creeper (Antigonon leptopus)

An introduced large herb climbing with long tendrils over walls, hedges and other vegetation. Native to the central America. Flowering throughout the year. Cultivated as an ornamental and also escaped and naturalized.

ඒකාවේරිය/නකුල/රත් ඒකාවේරිය[Ekaveriya/Nakula/Rath Ekaveriya]/Indian Snakeroot(Rauvolfia serpentina)

An indigenous sub - shrub  of secondary scrub lands and grassy places of the wet lowlands up to about 700 m elevations. Due to not observing of it during the 'Flora of Ceylon project' Herbert Huber  noted in 1983 that it may have been possibly extinct in the wild due to intense exploitation (Dasanayaka M.D. & Fosberg F.R., 1983, Flora of Ceylon Vol 4). However 2012 Red list categorized it under the Endangered status. It is an important medicinal plant.

Brazilian Red Cloak (Megaskepasma erythrochlamys)

An introduced ornamental shrub native to Venezuela.  Cultivated in gardens.

Mexican poppy (Argemone mexicana)

Native plant of tropical and subtropical North America. Introduced and naturalized in waste and disturbed places, usually near houses. 

බිං දෙළුම්/ඇත් පිටවක්කා[Bin delung/Et pitawakka](Synostemon bacciformis [Syn: Sauropus bacciformis])

An indigenous prostrating herb of sandy saline areas near sea, inland sandy areas near tanks and tidal flat margins.

Dog's tongue (Pseudelephantopus spicatus)

A recent addition to the Flora of Sri Lanka*. An introduced herb native to the Caribbean. First time recorded from altitude 400 m of Peak wilderness. Numerous naturalized plants observed at Meethirigala forest reserve of Gampaha district (Personal observation, 2016/01/29).

* Illustrated field guide to the flowers of Sri Lanka Volume 2 - J. & J de Vlas, 2014