Littlebell/Three-lobed Morning Glory (Ipomoea triloba)

An introduced and naturalized vine native to tropical America and West Indies. Very common in waste lands, paddy field margins, fences, etc. Due to its common occurrences near paddy fields, it is believed that Littlebell was introduced contaminant in seed rice. 

Enicostema axillare

Common indigenous perennial herb, occurs in open sandy places among sparse grass, close to the beach in the dry zone. Flowering throughout the year. 

Rubber vine/Madagascar rubber vine/Purple trumpet (Cryptostegia grandiflora)

An introduced twining vine native to the Madagascar and neighboring islands. Cultivated in gardens as an ornamental. As per Trimen often naturalized in Sri Lanka near the shore (A Revised Hand Book to the Flora of Ceylon Vol 4)*. It is considered as a notorious invasive plant in tropical Australia.

* Probable naturalized vines observed at Karukkupone area, north of Chilaw.

මණ්ඩ/මඩ ගස්[Manda/Mada Gas]/Indian Mangrove/White Mangrove (Avicennia officinalis)

An indigenous shrub or small tree occurs in salt marshes, brackish places along the seashore and mangrove swamps. Flowering from August to October.

වැල් කරල් හැබ[Wel karal Haba]/Forest Burr/Creeping Cock's Comb(Pupalia lappacea var. orbiculata)

An indigenous herb occurs as two varieties in the island.

•  P, l, lappacea - Grows open dry places along forest edges.
•  P. l. orbiculata (Above Picture) - Common in the sandy places behind the shoreline.

Launaea sarmentosa

Common native prostrate herb occurs on sandy seashores above the high tide mark. Flowering from July to May and probably throughout the year. 

ඉකිලි/කටු ඉකිලි[Ikili/Katu Ikili]/Sea Holly (Acanthus ilicifolius)

Large indigenous perennial herb. Common along banks of estuaries and lagoons. Also occurs in marshy lands close to the sea shore. 

බූ තෙදිය/සෙවන් මැදිය[Bu thedhiya/Sewan medhiya]/Furniture Leaf (Ficus exasperata)

Common native tree grows in wet zone lowland areas up to 1000 m a.s.l. Flowers enclosed in figs. Leaves formerly used as sand papers

ගැඩුඹ[Gadumba]/Charcoal tree (Trema orientale [Syn: Trema orientalis])

Small to medium size native tree, very common in waste places and cleared areas up to 1525 m elevations. Flowering and fruiting from January to June. 

Bolivian Sunset Gloxinia (Seemannia sylvatica [Syn: Gloxinia sylvatica])

An introduced ornamental perennial. Cultivated mostly in the hill country home gardens.  

කොට දිඹුල[Kota Dimbula] (Ficus hispida)

Common indigenous small tree or shrub grows in open areas, river banks and secondary forests up to 1200 m a.s.l. Flowers enclosed in figs. Whole plant medicinal.

Railway Glory (Ipomoea cairica)

An indigenous vine occurs in waste lands, roadsides, stream banks, cultivated grounds, thickets and hedges. Also widely cultivated as an ornamental.  Original home of the plant is uncertain.

Asystasia chelonoides

An indigenous herb or small shrub common under shade of forests of the wet hill country, often close to streams. Flowering from January to June and August to October. 

කොස්[Kos]/Jak(Artocarpus heterophyllus)

Common introduced tree with unknown origin (Possibly South India). Widely cultivated (And also naturalized) due to its edible fruits which ripe mainly during March-April months of the year. Wood used in construction industry and to make furniture. Leaves - fodder. Two forms occurs in Sri Lanka
1) වරකා[Waraka] - Has firm pulp in the ripe fruits.
2) වැල [Wala] - Soft pulp in the ripe fruits.

Common Forest Thunbergia/Sweet Clock Vine (Thunbergia fragrans)

An indigenous slender twiner occurs along forest edges from lowlands to higher hills. Flowering throughout the year. 

තුත්තිරි[Tuttiri]/Love Grass (Chrysopogon aciculatus)

Very common native prostrate perennial occurs along roadsides, grasslands, waste places, lawns, etc. from sea level to about 1300m elevations. 

Green shrimp plant (Ecbolium ligustrinum)

Common native shrubby herb occurs under shade in dry and intermediate zone forests, mainly in the lowlands and occasionally up to about 500 elevations in the mid hills. Flowering throughout the year.

Lophatherum gracile

Erect indigenous perennial restricted to the southwestern wet zone forest undergrowth.  

දෙහි[Dehi]/True Lime/Lime (Citrus aurantiifolia)

An introduced small tree native to China and Indo-China. Widely cultivated throughout the island.

Joker (Byblia ilithyia)

Rare butterfly restricted to the scrub lands of northwestern coast from Chilaw to Jaffna.  Ormiston recorded of seeing numbers settled on a small bush at Palatupana of Hambantota district in 1909. But neither him nor anyone else met it there since. Its larva feeds on leaves of Tragia plukenetii (වැල් කහඹිලියා)

කල වැල්[Kala wel]/Mangrove beanstalk (Derris trifoliata)

Common native liana occurs in mangrove swamps. Stem fibers are used in making ropes and fishing lines. 

දිය දඟ[Diya danga] (Dolichandrone spathacea)

Rather uncommon native tree mainly found in mangrove swamps, lagoons and tidal marshes of the southwestern wet lowland coastline from Negombo to Galle*.  Flowers open at sunset and fall off early the next morning. Very fragrant flowers are pollinated by moths. Flowering from May to July.

* Above pictures were taken at the Anavilundhawa Ramsar wetland of the Puttalam district.

රත් පිටවක්කා[Rat Pitawakka]/Creeping Sebastiana (Microstachys chamaelea [Syn: Sebastiania chamaelea]

Rather common native annual herb occurs in open grasslands, cultivation, etc. Flowering in October, May and probably in other months as well.

Boehmeria virgata [Syn: Boehmeria macrophylla var. macrophylla]

An indigenous shrub occurs in wet montane forests from 650 to 1800 m elevations. Flowering from October to April.

එළ පිල[Ela Pila]/South African Hoarypea (Tephrosia noctiflora)

Introduced herb native to the Africa. Cultivated as a cover crop and now naturalized mainly in both wet and dry lowlands.

පුටු තණ[Putu Tana]/Egyptian crowfoot grass (Dactyloctenium aegyptium)

Common weed of dry and arid low country. Also extends to about 500 m elevations from sea level in the wet zone. It occurs waste grounds, cultivation, open grasslands and sandy soils near sea. 

අරලිය[Araliya]/Temple flower/Temple tree (Plumeria obtusa)

Native tree of Caribbean. Introduced and widely cultivated, often near Buddhist temples but also in home gardens and along roads. Flowering throughout the year. 

බලු දං [Balu Dan] (Ardisia elliptica)

Rather common native shrub occurs in the low country, especially in the coastal areas. Flowering and fruiting from September to April. 

බූ රේන්ද/ගෝවින්ද/වල් ගූරැන්ද/ගුලින්ද[Bu renda/Govinda/Wal Gurenda/Gulinda]/Common hedge bower(Volkameria inermis [Syn: Clerodendrum inerme])

An indigenous shrub common in saline marshes, tidal river banks, seashores and mangrove forest borders in both wet and dry zones. Flowering from March to April and July to August.