රත් කොබෝලීල[Rat-koboleela]/Purple orchid tree (Bauhinia purpurea)

Macmillan in 1910 suggested Bauhinia purpurea as a flowering tree suitable for the gardening in low or median elevations due to its “very showy large flowers of a pink shade merging into purple” (Tropical planting and Gardening with special reference to Ceylon - page 80).  It is a native plant of either Southeast Asia (According to the Revised handbook to the Flora of Ceylon Vol 7) or India (According to the Illustrated field guide to the flowers of Sri Lanka J. &J. de Vlas 2008) introduced and widely cultivating in Sri Lankan home gardens. Still it is not naturalized in Sri Lanka.