Showing posts with label Invasive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Invasive. Show all posts

Friday, March 25, 2011

ගල් ගොරකා[Gal goraka]/Pitch apple/monkey apple/Balsam apple/(Clusia hilariana [Syn: Clusia rosea])

Shrubby tree native to West Indies and introduced as an ornamental plant to Sri Lanka. Naturalized in the hill country, mainly on rocks in open areas and it is considered as an invasive plant.



Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Giant sensitive plant/Creeping mimosa (Mimosa diplotricha [Syn: Mimosa invisa])


Woody herb with long trailing stems native to Brazil and introduced to other tropical countries. It is considered as a serious invasive plant. In Flora of Ceylon Volume 1 it is mentioned that this species was once found along the road outside Agricultural station in Peradeniya and it was imported as a green manure (Dassanayaka & Fosberg 1980). However today it is one of widely spread weed of waste lands, along roads and secondary shrub lands etc. 

Friday, September 17, 2010

වල්සූරියකාන්ති/වටසූරිය[Wal-Suriyakanthi/Wata Suriya]/Wild Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia)

 A native plant of South America and introduced to many countries including Sri Lanka as an ornamental plant and now considered as an invasive. It is a common weed along roads and on waste grounds particularly at mid elevations (1000-5000ft).

Friday, August 6, 2010

ගඳපාන/රටහිඟුරු[Ganda-Pana/Rata Hinguru]/Common Lantana/Wild Sage (Lantana camara)

A native shrub of South America (probably West Indies) and now widely distributed throughout the tropic. It was introduced to Sri Lanka in 1926 through the Royal botanical garden as an gardening plant and later on escaped and naturalized at all elevations of the country.  It is very common in wastelands, open areas in jungles, abandoned chena cultivations etc….Now it is considered as an invasive plant and measures are being taken to eradicate or control spreading of this plant specially in national parks such as Udawalawe, Bundala..etc where invading Lantana shrubs greatly reduced grazing lands available for Elephants and other wildlife. However ripe berries of this plant are widely eaten by birds and they act as dispersers of seeds. Also it provides nectar for butterflies.


Sunday, June 27, 2010

African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata)


Introduced from West Africa and now widespread in moist lowlands and sub montane region up to about 1200m elevations of the island. Cultivate as ornamental and shade tree in home gardens and roadsides. A large tree of about 30m height branching widely at top. Bright Orange-Red flowers blooms during June-September months of the year.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

හම්බූ පන්[Hambu Pan] (Typha angustifolia)

Indigenous reed-like marsh herb with about 150-250cm tall stem grows in low country tanks, ditches and marsh lands. It is most commonly found in the low country dry zone. Leaves use for thatching houses, weaving mats and basket works. Cigars like spikes or inflorescences where very small female flowers in lower part and male flowers in upper, are frequently used for interior decorations.