Balloon Cottonbush (Gomphocarpus physocarpus)

An introduced herb or small shrub native to the South and tropical Africa. Cultivated, escaped and naturalized mainly in the hill country (Below Hakgala on the way to the former Fort Macdonald ). Flowering throughout the year.

යක් වනස්ස [Yak Wanassa] (Anisomeles indica)

An indigenous perennial herb. Common weed in waste places and roadsides in both dry and wet lowlands and lower hills from sea level to 700 m elevations.  Flowering from September to February and July. 

Yellow Orange Tip (Ixias pyrene cingalensis)

Rather common butterfly flies all the year round, mainly in the dry zone scrub jungles, forests and waste places. It also occurs in the intermediate zone. Its numbers increase with the northeast monsoons. Males sometimes settle on wet patches on the roads and river beds. It is a migratory species and larva feeds on Capparis sepiaria and Capparis grandis of the family Capparaceae .

Crested Treeswift/Indian Crested Swift/Grey-rumped Treeswift/සිළු රුක් තුරිතයා/රුක් තුරිතයා [Silu Rukturitaya/Rukturitaya] (Hemiprocne coronata)

Rather common breeding resident occurs from lowlands to mid hills (Up to 1000 m elevations) mainly in the dry zone, while scarce from wet lowlands to hills. It prefers open country with tress and often encounters as pairs or several pairs together. It makes a nest, a small cup made out of of barks. mosses and lichens glued to a branch and parents takes it in turns to incubate (See above male bird on the left) Breeding season lasts from March to May and sometimes from July to August. Crested Treeswift feeds mainly on small flying insects. 

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

Ammannia baccifera

An indigenous annual herb occurs in damp places or in water, paddy fields, seasonal ponds, roadside ditches and damp sandy places of the lowlands.

Distimake cissoides[Syn: Merremia cissoides]

Native vine of tropical America. Introduced and naturalized in disturbed sites, cultivated grounds and roadsides. 

Plain Orange Tip (Colotis aurora)

Plain Orange Tip occurs only in coastal waste places and thorn scrub of the northern and north western part of the country. It is more numerous at the end of the north east monsoon though few may be seen all the year round. It flies usually closer to the ground. Its larva feeds on Cadaba fruticosa of the family Capparaceae.

මහ වල් කොල්ලු (Rhynchosia minima)

 An indigenous prostrating or trailing small vine occurs in the low country. Common in the dry zone and occasionally found also in the wet zone. Flowering all the year round. 

Khaki weed (Alternanthera pungens)

Native prostrate herb of tropical ans sub tropical America. Introduced and now a common weed in dry sandy places, disturbed grounds and roadsides. 

හීන් තොලබෝ[Heen Tolabo] (Crinum defixum)

Native tall herb rather common in wet places, river and stream banks, edges of ponds and tanks, etc of the lowlands and in the mid country. Flowering more or less all the year round. Fragrant flowers opening in the evening. Seeds float in the water and plants may be dispersed  by water in such places. 

බූ පිල[Bu Pila]/Hoarypea (Tephrosia villosa)

An indigenous herb very common along roadsides and waste places in the dry zone.

Abutilon pannosum

An indigenous woody herb or small shrub rather common in the low country

බින් සියඹලා[Bin Siyabala]/Feather-leaved cassia/Fish bone cassia (Chamaecrista mimosoides [Syn: Cassia mimosoides])

A native herb  common in open grassy patches from sea level to about 1200 m elevations. 

Indigofera oblongifolia

An indigenous shrub of the the dry zone. Mostly in the northern part of  the country.

Basilicum polystachyon

An indigenous herb grows on damp grounds of the dry lowlands, along secondary forest edges, roadside ditches and tanks of the intermediate zone. Flowering from March to July.

Ammannia octandra

Rather common native herb occurs in dry regions. 

මූදු අවර/වල් අවර [Mudu Awara/Wal Awara](Canavalia cathartica [Syn: Canavalia virosa])

An indigenous vine common in coastal lowland scrubs and forests edges, mostly in the dry zone and lower hill country. 

Biophytum nervifolium

Rather common native herb occurs on sandy and clayey moist soil in the dry zone. Flowering from October to April.

බඳු වද [Bandu Wada] (Pentapetes phoenicea)

An indigenous (Or may be introduced from India) herb  occurs in marshy places, paddy fields, tank edges, etc. at sea level or lower elevations in the dry zone. 

Silverleaf Desmodium (Desmodium uncinatum [Syn: Desmodium intortum])

An introduced herb native to the tropical America. Common and naturalized along southeastern hill country roadsides. Probably introduced as a ground cover.