Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Coldenia procumbens

An indigenous prostrate and spreading herb common in dry sun-baked wastelands and dry margins of tanks of the dry zone. Flowering from July to September.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Black-tipped Percher (Diplacodes nebulosa)

Rather uncommon dragonfly usually found perch on grasses or sticks in wet lowland areas such as marshes, ponds, tanks and nearby vegetation, in all climatic zones.  It occurs all the year round though much common during May and June. As per Bedjanic M, et. al., 2014 the lack of recent records of this dragonfly in the north and east is probably due to less intensive field works in that part of the island, though there are some old records from those areas as well. This individual was photographed at Batticaloa of eastern province in a lawn close to the old Dutch fort on 8th August 2016 confirming its inhabitancy in the eastern part of the country. 

Friday, August 26, 2016

Syzygium sclerophyllum

  An endemic canopy tree, locally common in the montane forests above 2000 m a.s.l. in the main mountain massif. 

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Memecylon rivulare









An endemic small shrub, rather common along stream and river banks in the wet lowland forests.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Isodon nigrescens

An indigenous herb rather common in shaded roadside ditches and damp undergrowth of submontane to montane forests from 1000 -2700 m a.s.l, often close to streams. Flowering throughout the year.

Isodon hians (Benth.) H.W.Li.  is now considered as a synonym of  Isodon nigrescens (Benth.) H.Hara

Monday, August 22, 2016

වල් රෝස[Wal Rosa] (Rubus leucocarpus)










An scrambling shrub with prickles, occurs as two varieties.
1) var. leucocarpus - Occurs in open thickets, jungle paths or by road banks in montane areas.                                               Flowering from December to March (Probably in other months as well),
2) var. tomentosa - Under growth of dense mossy forests, open places in forests, forest edges, road                                      embankments and stream banks in upper montane areas above 2000m a.s.l.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Coleus Inflatus [Syn: Plectranthus inflatus]

Large endemic perennial herb grows in partial shade close to streams in secondary montane forests from 1200 to 2600 a.s.l. Flowering most of the year. 

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora)

An introduced tree or shrub with scattered thorns, native to South America and West Indies. Naturalized in open grazed areas near the south coast, around Hambantota* (Revised Hand Book to Flora of Ceylon Vol 1)

* Also observed at Chilaw to Puttalam area of North Western coast.

Friday, August 19, 2016

බූ කටු හැන්ද[Bu katu handa]Forget-me-not/Hound's tongue(Cynoglossum zeylanicum)

An indigenous herb occurs along roadsides and waste grounds in central highlands. Flowering from February to August.

* Both Cynoglossum furcatum Wall. and Cynoglossum zeylanicum Thunb. ex Lehm are now considered as synonyms of Cynoglossum zeylanicum (Vahl) Brand.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Hyacinth Orchid (Satyrium nepalense)

Rather common indigenous terrestrial herb grows among grass in wet patana lands above 1200 m elevation. Flowering from September to April.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

බෝවිටියා/කටකළුවා/මහා බෝවිටියා[Bovitiya/Katakaluwa/Maha bovitiya]Malabar blackmouth(Melastoma malabathricum)

Common native shrub occurs along roadsides, river banks, disturbed places and thickets in wet and montane zones. Flowering throughout the year. The pulp inside the fruit is edible and it stains black. Hence the vernacular name Katakaluwa (Meaning 'Black mouth')

*Unlike this aberrant specimen of 6 petal flower with 12 stamens, usually Melastoma malabathricum flower is pentamerous and it has 10 stamens (5 long and 5 shorter). 

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Cinereous Tit (Parus cinereus)

An active sparrow-sized breeding resident, much common in the hill country forests and the habitats close to home gardens. It also flies in the low country but less common and shy unlike tamer birds of the hills. It lives as pairs or as small family flocks, flitting from tree to tree in search of small insects like beetles, moths, caterpillars, etc. hiding on bark-crevices or flakes of lichens on trees. It breeds from March to April and sometimes again in September-November. The nest is a mass of moss, fibres, feathers, etc. placed in a hole or cavity in a tree trunk/branch or sometime under eaves of a building.

* Parus cinereus (Cinereous Tit) was formerly confused with the P. major (Grey Tit/Great Tit)

Monday, August 15, 2016

Impatiens ciliifolia

An endemic small herb found in lowland to submontane forests in Southwestern wet zone. It occurs as two sub species.
  •  I. c. ciliifolia - Moist shady places along stream and rivers from 100 to 750 m elevations.
  •  I.c. sinharajensis - On riverside rocks or sometimes on mossy logs from 350 to 600 m elevations.

Friday, August 12, 2016

Thursday, August 11, 2016

වෙරළු[Weralu]/Wild Olive (Elaeocarpus serratus)

A common native tree of wet and intermediate zone forests from lowlands to about 900 m a.s.l. Often cultivated in home gardens for its edible fruits. 

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

අංකෙන්ද[Ankenda](Acronychia pedunculata)

An indigenous small tree common mainly in the wet areas from sea level to about 1600 m a.s.l.  Flowering from February to April. Bark used in medicine. 

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

වැල් මුද්ද[Vel mudda]/African globethistle (Sphaeranthus africanus)

An indigenous erect annual herb occurs in marshy or brackish situations at low elevations. Sometimes on the seashore. Flowering from November to May. 

Monday, August 8, 2016

සුදනා[Sudana]/Asthmaweed(Erigeron bonariensis [Syn: Conyza bonariensis)

An introduced erect herb native to South America. According to the Trimen it was introduced at Hakgala Botanical Garden about 1864 among seeds from St. Petersburge. Escaped and naturalized along roadsides, waste places, etc. in the tea growing areas. 

Sunday, August 7, 2016

මීවැන්න/උල් කෙන්ද[Miwenna/Ul kenda](Huberantha korinti [Syn: Polyalthia korinti])

Common indigenous tree widespread in both wet and dry lowlands from sea level to about 300 m a.s.l. ( Rarely to 500 in the wet zone and 750 (At Ritigala) in the dry zone ). It occurs in riverine forests, back of mangroves etc. It confine to the disturbed vegetation in the wet zone though occurs in both primary and secondary forests in the dry areas. Fruits edible.

Saturday, August 6, 2016

කඩොල්[Kadol]/Asiatic mangrove (Rhizophora mucronata)

Common native mangrove tree occurs along the east coast. Less common along the west and south coast. It grows in estuaries and lagoons with salt or brackish water. 

Friday, August 5, 2016

කනේරු[Kaneru]/Oleander (Nerium oleander)

An introduced shrub or small tree native to the Mediterranean. Widely cultivated in gardens as an ornamental plant. Wild ancestors of this plant has pink flowers. Varies cultivars have white, red or dark pink flowers.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Tropical kudzu (Neustanthus phaseoloides [Syn: Pueraria phaseoloides)

An indigenous vine native to Southeast Asia. It is also believed that it was introduced as a ground cover and fertilizer to enhance fertility in coconut plantations and naturalized along roadsides and abandoned cultivated grounds. Often creeping over low vegetation. Flowering from November to March.

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Brown-Banded Hunter Hawkmoth (Theretra silhetensis)

Location - Polgasowita.
Reference - The Lepidoptera of Ceylon - F. Moore, F.Z.S. Vol 2 Thretra nessus of Page 22 & Plate 85?
External links  http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/1803331

Monday, August 1, 2016

Rubus rugosus

An indigenous scrambling shrub grows under shade in bushy thickets along forest edges or in dense mossy forests of upper montane zone above 2000 m a.s.l. Flowering from February to May, July and November to December.