බූ ගොටකොළ [Bu Gotakola] (Crotalaria hebecarpa)

An indigenous prostrate annual herb common along roadsides and open dry places, mainly in the dry lowlands.

කළු රාජාලියා/කළුකුස්සා [Kalu Rajaliya/KAlukussa] Black Eagle (Ictinaetus malayaensis)

Rather uncommon breeding resident inhabiting forests and nearby open areas from wet lowlands to hills while becoming  fairly commonest in the higher hills. Also occurs locally in isolated forested hills such as Ritigala in the dry lowlands.

Black eagle hunts usually as pairs by sailing slowly along hills, slightly above the canopy level, scanning tree tops for bird nests and adult birds. It has a marvelous skill in circling in and out of small hollows among the trees.

It feeds mainly on bird eggs, chicks and adult birds such as bulbuls, doves and munias and small mammals.

The nest is a huge masses of sticks set on the crown of tall forest trees usually growing on hill slopes, where it lays usually a single egg. The breeding season appeared to be from December to February.

It is usually a silent bird though utters a loud whistling keeeu sound during the breeding season. 

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

Common rose moss/Sun plant (Portulaca grandiflora)

Native plant of tropical America. Widely cultivated as an ornamental. Also occurs as an escape. Flowering and fruiting throughout the year. Usually 5 petals. But varies cultivars occurs with additional petals and in pink, red, orange or yellow colors. 

Platostoma elongatum [Syn: Geniosporum elongatum]

Rather common native perennial herb in grassy slopes of the intermediate zone, lower hill country and patanas of the upper hills from 150 to 2000 elevations. Flowering from October to May and July.

බිං සියඹලා[Bin Siyabala](Chamaecrista leschenaultiana [Syn: Cassia auricoma])

An indigenous herb occurs along roadsides, plantations and patans of the hill country.

කලු බඹර වැල්/පටික වැල්/යකඩ වැල්[Kalubambara wel/Patika wel/Yakada wel] (Artabotrys zeylanicus)

Rather common native woody climber confine to the primary and secondary forests from lowlands to lower montane zone up to about 1000 m a.s.l in the wet and intermediate zones. Particularly abundant in the disturbed vegetation. 

වල් පත්පාඩගම්[Wal Pathpadagam]/Old world diamond flower/Flat top mille graines (Oldenlandia corymbosa)

Native diffuse or prostrate annual herb of moist lowlands, roadsides, waste lands and cultivated areas.

Shrimp Flower (Justicia brandegeeana)

Native shrub of Mexico. Introduced and cultivated in gardens as an ornamental.

පිටවක්කා/බිම් නෙල්ලි [Pitawakka/Bim nelli]/Niruri (Phyllanthus debilis)

Rather common native herb grows along roadsides, waste grounds and such places in all climatic zones from sea level to about 1000 m a.s.l.

රාවන් ඉදල/වන ඉදල/රත් වැනිදල[Rawan idala/Wana idala/Rat Wenidala](Wendlandia bicuspidata)

An indigenous shrub or small tree common in secondary vegetation of moist region from lowland to hill country. 

Hybrid glory-bower vine (Clerodendrum x speciosum)

An introduced shrub widely cultivated in gardens. Flowering from February to April and August to September. A hybrid between Clerodendrum splendens and Clerodendrum thomsoniae.

මහ ඇඹුල්ඇඹිලිය[Maha Ambulabiliya]/Manikwatte Weed/Broad leaved sorrel (Oxalis latifolia)

Native herb of South America. Introduced to Sri Lanka by the Botanic garden before 1879 and naturalized in disturbed places and cultivated grounds from mid hills to higher elevations. Flowering periodically throughout the year. Flowers open in the morning and close early afternoon.

ගෙඳ කොළ[Genda kola]/Moss rose/Sun plant/Common purselane (Portulaca oleracea)

Annual erect or decumbent herb common in waste lands, seashores, roadsides and arable lands throughout the island. White and red flower varieties are also occurs. Cultivated and escaped.  Small flowered wild species is native. Flowering throughout the year.

Gonostegia pentandra var. wightii [Syn: Pouzolzia walkeriana]

Rather common native large herb occurs in shaded roadsides and dry and lower moist forests up to 800 m elevations. Flowering from October to April.

රට අත්තන/තුම්බෝ අත්තන[Rata Attana/Tumbo Attana]/Trumpet flower (Brugmansia suaveolens)

An introduced tall shrub or small tree native to the Southeastern Brazilian coastal rain forests. Widely cultivated in tea planting districts and also naturalized along streams above 400 m a.s.l. Flowering at the end of the dry season and during the rains. The flowers are usually white but yellow or pink color varieties also occurs.

කැලෑ කරපිංචා[Kela karapinchcha] (Phyllanthus baillonianus)

Native subshrub occurs in montane rain forests up to about 1500 m elevations. 

Common Acacia Blue (Surendra quercetorum)

Common butterfly flies all the year round in wetter parts of the island below 1000 m a.s.l. wherever its food plants grows. Its larva feeds on leaves of  Senegalia caesia (හිඟුරු-වැල්), Acacia pennata (ගොඩ හිඟුරු), Albizia lebbeck (සූරිය මාර), Falcataria moluccana (මාර) and Calliandra surinamensis.

Calliandra (Calliandra houstoniana var. calothyrsus [Syn: Calliandra calothyrsus])

Native tree of Northwest Panama to South Mexico. Introduced and cultivated as a shade tree in tea plantations. Leaves use as a fodder. 

Ophiorrhiza nemorosa

An endemic herb occurs in the hill country. Ecology unknown* (Flora of Ceylon Vol 12)

* Above pictures were taken in a forested mountainous roadside close to a stream. 

කිරි වැල්/මහ කිරි වැල්[Kiri wel/Maha kiri wel] (Gynochthodes umbellata [Syn: Morinda umbellata])

Common indigenous woody liana grows in wet zone up to 2000 m elevations. Flowering from February to April. 

නාපිරිත්ත/හීන් නාපිරිත්ත[Napiriththa/Heen napiriththa] (Hibiscus surattensis [syn Hibiscus furcatus])

Common indigenous scrambling and trailing shrubby or erect herb occurs in scrub lands, secondary vegetation, roadsides and waste places, especially near habitations in the low country.  Flowering from December to April.

*නාපිරිත්ත or Hibiscus furcatus Roxb. with short outward pointing lobes of epicalyx segments is now considered as a synonym of Hibiscus surattensis L. having epicalyx segments of large outward pointing lobes. (http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2849894)

කන් කුඹල[Kan kumbala]/Wild Ipecacuanha/Mexican milkweed/Blood flower (Asclepias curassavica)

An introduced herb native to West Indies.  Commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant and occasionally found as an escape.

තොලබෝ[Tolabo](Crinum asiaticum)

Common indigenous tall herb occurs in the moist lowlands. Common on the sandy seacoast, open areas and in coconut plantations. Also cultivated as an ornamental from low to mid elevations. Flowering throughout the year and strongly fragrant flowers opening in the evening. Bulbs and leaves are used in  traditional medicine. 

Sanchezia spp.

An introduced Sanchezia species cultivated in gardens, native to the tropical South America. It could be S. parvibrateata, S. speciosa or S. nobilis*

* Illustrated field guide to the flowers of Sri Lanka, Vol 1, J. & J. de Vlas, 2008.

Acilepis nemoralis [Syn: Vernonia nemoralis]

An uncommon endemic herb or sub-shrub occurs along streams and moist tracksides from sea level to about 1200 m elevations in the southwestern wet zone.  Flowering from February to May.

Copper pod/Yellow flame/Yellow poinciana (Peltophorum pterocarpum)

An introduced tree commonly cultivated along roads as an ornamental. 

වල් තේ කොළ [Wal te kola]Ceylon tea/Spanish needle/Beggar's tick (Bidens pilosa [Syn: Bidens pilosa var. minor])

An introduced herb native to temperate and tropical America. Naturalized in Sri Lanka and occurs as two varieties.
var. pilosa - Without or usually with very small white ray flowers. Only known from Peradeniya-Kandy area. Flowering from November to March.
var. minor(Above pic) - Very common weed of roadsides, disturbed places, cultivated grounds, etc. in the montaze zone. Flowering occurs throughout the year.

පාවට්ටා [Pavetta] (Pavetta blanda)

An indigenous shrub or treelet occurs in primary and secondary forests in the wet lowlands and hills. 

නෙල්ලි[Nelli] (Phyllanthus emblica)

A tree of monsoon forests, savannah and dry patanas. Also widely cultivated in gardens. Native or introduced to Sri Lanka in the ancient time. Fruit edible and whole plant medicinal. 

Oyster plant/Moses-In-The-Rushes/Two ladies in a boat(Tradescantia spathacea)

An introduced herb native to Mexico and Guatemala. Cultivated and occasionally naturalized locally. Flowering throughout the year