අග මුල නැති වැල් [Aga mula neti wel]/Golden Dodder/Field Dodder (Cuscuta campestris)

Introduced and naturalized parasitic leafless vine native to temperate and tropical North America. Common in paddy field margins, roadsides, railway tracks, waste grounds, etc. from sea level to about 1000 m a.s.l. on varies host plants (About 161 plants were observed by a study including rice*) . It is widely distributed in the dry lowlands.  Mikania cordata and Wedelia trilobata appear to be the primary host plants.

අග මුල නැති වැල්/Dodder (Cuscuta chinensis) 

Trimen H., 1895 and Austin, 1980 identified cuscuta spp. found in the low country as Cuscuta chinensis. Trimen in 1895 reported that it is very rare and only found in the suburbs of the Colombo parasitizing on grass, low herbs and shrubs. Austin in 1980 claimed that Cuscuta seeds may have been introduced to the country with imported rice from China. Base on a taxonomical study conducted on Cuscuta species found in the low country in 2004* it was revealed that most probably the above mentioned C. chinensis is an incorrect identification of Cuscuta campestris.

References:

*Jayasinghe C., Wijesundara D.S.A., Tennekoon K.U. & Marambe B. 2004, Cuscuta species in the lowlands of Sri Lanka, their host range and host - parasite association, Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 16: 223-241 (2004)

Trimen H. 1895, Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon.

Austin D.F. 1980, Convolvulaceae. pp. 305-307, In: Dasanayaka, M.D. & Fosberg F.R.. Revised Hand Book to the Flora of Ceylon, Vol 1.

White Alder (Turnera subulata)

An introduced ornamental herb native to tropical America. Cultivated in gardens. Also escaped and naturalized along roadsides. 

කොටිකන් බැබිල/බැබිල [Bebila/Kotikan bebila]/Paddy's luceme (Sida rhombifolia)

Common indigenous erect herb occurs along river and stream banks, roadsides, waste places, paddy fields, forest clearings, etc. from sea level to to 2000 m elevations.

* Sida alnifolia L. is a synonym of Sida rhombifolia subsp. alnifolia (L.) Ugbor.

Strychnos benthamii

An endemic shrub or small tree, rarely occurs in both wet and dry lowlands. But small leave state is common in the hills.

අසමෝදගම්/Slender Celery/Marsh Parsley (Cyclospermum leptophyllum[Syn: Apium leptophyllum)

Native plant of Eurasia. Introduced and grown as a vegetable. Naturalized in open waste grounds about 1600 m elevations of Haputale. Flowering from March to April and probably also in other months.

Scarlet African Morning Glory (Stictocardia macalusoi)

An introduced ornamental liana native to the southern Somalia. Flowers open at dawn and close near sunset. Cultivated in gardens. Stictocardia beraviensis (Hawaiian Sunset Vine/Hawaiian Bell/Braveheart Vine ) is a closely related species which is extremely hard to tell apart from this.

හීන් මදු/හවරි මදු/ආපසු මදු [Hawari-Madu/Heen-Madu/Apasu Madu] (Xenostegia tridentata [Syn: Merremia tridentata])

Common indigenous vine occurs in disturbed places, roadsides, grasslands, cultivated areas and rocky lands of  both dry and wet lowlands. Commoner in the dry zone. Flowering from April to June.

Southern Duffer (Discophora lepida)

Rather rare butterfly of southwestern wet lowland rain forests with bamboo undergrowth. It flies at dawn and dusk. Larva feeds on Ochlandra stridula [Bamboo/බට] leaves.

China aster (Callistephus chinensis)

An introduced annual herb native to the China and Korea. Cultivated as an ornamental in gardens. Varies cultivars available with flowers of many colors. 

Firewheel/Indian blanket/Indian blanketflower/Indian paintbrush/Sundance (Gaillardia pulchella)

Native plant of North America. Introduced and cultivated in gardens as an ornamental. 

Bluewings/Wishbone flower (Torenia fournieri)

Native herb of Indo China. Introduced and cultivated in gardens. Flowering from March to June and September (Possibly in other months as well). Various cultivars with pink, violet and blue flowers exist.

අඹවිල [Amba wila] (Limnophila repens)

An indigenous decumbent or erect herb widespread in paddy fields, marshlands, etc. from wet lowlands to lower hills. Occasionally also occurs in the wet places of the dry lowlands. Flowering throughout the year.  

Carrot grass/Carrot weed (Parthenium hysterophorus)

Native herb of tropical America. Probably introduced into Sri Lanka in 1988 since it was first observed at the School of Agriculture at Vavuniya which Indian Peace Keeping Force occupied at that time. Now a widely spreading invasive weed of abandoned fields, waste lands, roadsides and cultivated grounds. The plant is toxic and can cause skin and respiratory system problems.

These plant were observed at a roadside location close to the Mathale town (7°27.769'N, 80°37.767'E)

Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis [Syn: Tecoma capensis])

An introduced ornamental shrub native to the southern Africa. Cultivated in gardens.

පුපුල/හීන් බෝටිය[Pupula/Hin botiya] (Jeffreycia zeylanica [Syn: Vernonia zelylanica])

Common endemic shrub occurs in track sides in patanas, dunes bordering forest scrub at sea level and roadsides up to about 1000 m altitude. Flowering most of the year. 

Blue Lotus (Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea [Syn: Nymphaea capensis])

An introduced aquatic herb with floating leaves, native to the Africa. Cultivated and also escaped and naturalized in ponds and tanks. Flowering throughout the year. Often confused with the national flower of Sri Lanka - Nymphaea nouchali

Torenia polygonoides [Legazpia polygonoides]

Recent addition to the Flora of Sri Lanka*. Rather rare introduced herb of marshy areas of the southwestern wet zone. Usually grows under shade of shrubs. But also occurs on open places.

* Illustrated field guide to the flowers of Sri Lanka Volume 2, J. & J. de Vlas,2014 

Salvia misella [Salvia riparia]

An introduced perennial herb native to Mexico to Peru and West Indies. Introduced as an ornamental. Escaped and naturalized along roadsides in partial shade in the lower hills and dry lowlands from 200 - 2000 m elevations. Flowering from March to December.

ගැටපිච්ච[Getapichcha]/Arabian jasmin(Jasminum sambac)

Commonly cultivated erect or scandent introduced shrub native to the India. 

Sapphire Fluterer (Rhyothemis triangularis)

Rather rare dragonfly found in marshes, ditches, tanks and slow moving rivers, mainly in the low country wet zone. But there are records also from drier parts of the island.