Disporum cantoniense

Indigenous herb of forest edges and open places in forests of montane region.  Flowering April to October.

Variegated Flutterer (Rhyothemis variegata variegata)

Very common dragonfly found throughout the year usually as large groups near weedy tanks, streams, paddy fields and marsh areas of  low country. 

Kosters curse/Soap bush (Miconia crenata [Syn: Clidemia hirta])

An invasive shrub native to the South America. Introduced probably as an ornamental plant and naturalized in several tropical countries including Sri Lanka. It is widely distributed along rain forest pathways and streams of wet and montane zones. Also in roadsides and disturbed grounds of lowland wet zone to tea estates in up country. Propagation is mainly due to the seeds spread by birds. 

Common Pierrot (Castalius rosimon)

Common butterfly distributed from lowlands to foot hills. It prefers open areas and usually found in roadsides. Like several other butterflies, males of this species too are fond of settling on damp earth to absorb minerals. According to Ormiston amount of black on upper wings of this butterfly vary with location and wet zone (Galle) specimens have light marks while darkest are from dry zone (Jaffna) and hills (Haldummulla) (Ormiston W. The Butterflies of Ceylon 1924). Larva feeds on  Ziziphus mauritiana, Ziziphus linnaei,  Ziziphus oenopolia (හීන් එරමිණියා), Gouania microcarpa, and Ziziphus rugosa. Egg laying also observed on Ziziphus xylopyrus.

රතු පින්න[Rathu-pinna]/Pagoda flower/Red glorybower (Clerodendrum paniculatum)

Native plant of Southeast Asia. Introduced to Sri Lanka and naturalized in disturbed areas. Often along roads. It is believed that when fed this plant to the elephants they become more confident and brave.

Indian Black bird (Turdus simillimus)

A breeding resident restricted to higher hills above 1000m a.s.l. Indian Black bird is an essentially ground bird common in forest undergrowth, well wooded gardens and tea plantations. It feeds on insects among the leaf litter on the ground and also takes berries. Active mostly during the early morning and again in the dusk. Main breeding season is from March to April and probably again from August to September. 

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

දියපර/ගොඩපර[Diyapara/Godapara](Dillenia suffruticosa)

Native plant of Sumatra, Malaysia and Borneo. Introduced to Peradeniya botanical garden as an ornamental tree in late nineteenth century. It becomes an invasive plant in stream banks, forest edges, wastelands, roadsides and neglected plantations of wet lowlands. A bright yellow flower of this species is the key to distinguish it from other three indigenous varieties of Dillenia (with white flowers) grows in Sri Lanka. 

Mysore clock vine (Thunbergia mysorensis)

Native climber of Mysore region of southern India. It is cultivated in Sri Lankan home gardens usually as a shade to verandahs of houses. 

Jungle Threadtail (Elattoneura caesia)

An endemic and rare damselfly of mid elevations of the country, found along streams in primary rain forests .

මුස්සැන්ද/වෙල්-බුත්සරණ[Mussenda, Wel-but-sarana] (Mussaenda frondosa)

Mussenda is a common indigenous shrub of about 2m tall, grows in secondary forests, roadsides and forests edges in both dry and wet zone from sea level to about 4000ft altitude. White leaves of this plant are edible and fried and eaten like ‘papadam’. All most all parts of this plant have medicinal values. Congee made from all the parts of the plant are used to treat hepatitis while roots used for white leprosy and flowers for asthma, fever and dropsy. Leaves and flowers are also used to remove inflammations and as a detergent for ulcers (Medicinal plants used in Ceylon Part 4 – Jayaweera).

Peacock Pansy (Jumonia almana almana)

Common butterfly of low country paddy fields, chena cultivations and edges of tanks, becoming uncommon above the mid-hills. According to the D’abrera it is very hardy butterfly surviving even after the natural vegetation has been ruined by mankind. He elaborates that It is almost always the only butterflies found in vacant lots, deserted gardens, overgrown estates and the like (The Butterflies of Ceylon - D'abrera 1998). Larva of peacock pansy feeds on Yamazakia pusilla,  Hygrophila auriculata (ක‍ටු ඉකිරි/නීරමුල්ලිය),  Ruellia tuberosa (නිල් පුරුක්/Wayside tuberose/Minnieroot), Lindernia anagallis, Phyla nodiflora (හිරමන-දැත්ත/Frogfruit/Bank mat) and Lindernia antipoda (විල/Sparrow false pimpernel).

කෑරලා [Kerala]/Black-rumped Flameback(Dinopium benghalense)

Very common breeding resident of all climatic zones, occurs as two races in the island. Red backed woodpecker (D.b.psarodes) is the southern form distributed in forests, cultivations and home gardens of lowlands and hills while Golden-backed woodpecker (d.b.jaffnense) is mainly found in Northern coastal areas from Chilaw to Trincomalee. Two sub-species freely interbreed and intermediate forms occur in fringe areas. It lives as pairs and feeds on ants and such insects found inside tree barks and occasionally on ground. 

Torenia leucosiphon [As Torenia travancorica]

Common indigenous herb of shaded footpaths usually along forest borders of wet low country and lower hills. This Torenia species can be distinguished from other three species grows in Sri Lanka by orange-yellow color of lower half of corolla tube.  Flowering throughout the year. 

Pied parasol (Neurothemis tullia tullia)

Probably the most common dragonfly of the country found in rice fields, streams, river banks, marshes, tanks, lagoons etc. from lowlands to mid-hills. 

බිම්පොල්[Bim-Pol] (Trichopus zeylanicus)

An Indigenous herb distributed in wet lowlands and sometimes in intermediate zone. Exception is Ritigala in dry zone where this plant can be found about 600m asl. Found in shady forest floor, usually close to water courses. Flowering and fruiting possibly throughout the year and fruit edible. Varieties with varies leaf shapes and number of primary veins can be occurred.

Gladeye Bushbrown(Nissanga patnia patnia)

Very common butterfly of southern part of the country, being less common in northern areas. Its larva feeds on Ischaemum timorense, Cyrtococcum trigonum and Isachne globosa(බටදැල්ල) of the family Poaceae.

වල්-ඉද්ද/සුදු-ඉද්ද/ඉද්ද/කෙලිද්ද[Wal-idda/Sudu-idda/Idda/Kelidha](Wrightia antidysenterica [Syn: Walidda antidysenterica])

An endemic shrub of scrublands and secondary forest lands of the moist low country. Often cultivate in home gardens due to its sweet scented flowers blooming all the year round. In traditional medicine this plant is used to treat tonsillitis and bronchial diseases and flowers are used to cure the Russel’s viper bite.

Yellow-browed Bulbul/කහ කොණ්ඩයා/බැම කහ ගුලූගුඩුවා [Kaha Kondaya//Bama Kaha Guluguduwa] (Actritillas indica)

Locally common bird in wooded areas and near by gardens of wet zone and dense forests of dry zone. It ascends about 1500m of hills and absent in extreme North. Yellow-browed Bulbul occurs as two sub species in Sri Lanka and wet zone race (Iole indica guglielmi) is endemic to Sri Lanka. It feeds on insects and fruits. Usually found in as small flocks.

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

Pink rain lily (Zephyranthes minuta [Syn: Zephyranthes grandiflora])

Herb native to Mexico, Cuba and Jamaica. Introduced as an ornamental plant and naturalized mainly in the hill country. 

Blue Mormon (Papilio polymnestor parinda)

Blue mormon is a common butterfly flying throughout the country in all elevations. It is one of the largest butterflies in the island which second only to the female Bird wing (Troides helena).  Male often settles on damp earth and river beds to absorb minerals. Larva feeds on varies plants of family Rutaceae (Atalantia ceylanica [වල් දෙහි/යකිනාරන්/‍යක් දෙහි], Atalantia monophylla, Atalantia rotundifolia, Citrus aurantiifolia [දෙහි], Citrus maxima, Citrus reticulata ,Citrus sinensis and Paramignya monophylla)