තුත්තිරි[Tuttiri]/Love Grass (Chrysopogon aciculatus)

Very common native prostrate perennial occurs along roadsides, grasslands, waste places, lawns, etc. from sea level to about 1300m elevations. 

Green shrimp plant (Ecbolium ligustrinum)

Common native shrubby herb occurs under shade in dry and intermediate zone forests, mainly in the lowlands and occasionally up to about 500 elevations in the mid hills. Flowering throughout the year.

Lophatherum gracile

Erect indigenous perennial restricted to the southwestern wet zone forest undergrowth.  

දෙහි[Dehi]/True Lime/Lime (Citrus aurantiifolia)

An introduced small tree native to China and Indo-China. Widely cultivated throughout the island.

Joker (Byblia ilithyia)

Rare butterfly restricted to the scrub lands of northwestern coast from Chilaw to Jaffna.  Ormiston recorded of seeing numbers settled on a small bush at Palatupana of Hambantota district in 1909. But neither him nor anyone else met it there since. Its larva feeds on leaves of Tragia plukenetii (වැල් කහඹිලියා)

කල වැල්[Kala wel]/Mangrove beanstalk (Derris trifoliata)

Common native liana occurs in mangrove swamps. Stem fibers are used in making ropes and fishing lines. 

දිය දඟ[Diya danga] (Dolichandrone spathacea)

Rather uncommon native tree mainly found in mangrove swamps, lagoons and tidal marshes of the southwestern wet lowland coastline from Negombo to Galle*.  Flowers open at sunset and fall off early the next morning. Very fragrant flowers are pollinated by moths. Flowering from May to July.

* Above pictures were taken at the Anavilundhawa Ramsar wetland of the Puttalam district.

රත් පිටවක්කා[Rat Pitawakka]/Creeping Sebastiana (Microstachys chamaelea [Syn: Sebastiania chamaelea]

Rather common native annual herb occurs in open grasslands, cultivation, etc. Flowering in October, May and probably in other months as well.

Boehmeria virgata [Syn: Boehmeria macrophylla var. macrophylla]

An indigenous shrub occurs in wet montane forests from 650 to 1800 m elevations. Flowering from October to April.

එළ පිල[Ela Pila]/South African Hoarypea (Tephrosia noctiflora)

Introduced herb native to the Africa. Cultivated as a cover crop and now naturalized mainly in both wet and dry lowlands.

පුටු තණ[Putu Tana]/Egyptian crowfoot grass (Dactyloctenium aegyptium)

Common weed of dry and arid low country. Also extends to about 500 m elevations from sea level in the wet zone. It occurs waste grounds, cultivation, open grasslands and sandy soils near sea. 

අරලිය[Araliya]/Temple flower/Temple tree (Plumeria obtusa)

Native tree of Caribbean. Introduced and widely cultivated, often near Buddhist temples but also in home gardens and along roads. Flowering throughout the year. 

බලු දං [Balu Dan] (Ardisia elliptica)

Rather common native shrub occurs in the low country, especially in the coastal areas. Flowering and fruiting from September to April. 

බූ රේන්ද/ගෝවින්ද/වල් ගූරැන්ද/ගුලින්ද[Bu renda/Govinda/Wal Gurenda/Gulinda]/Common hedge bower(Volkameria inermis [Syn: Clerodendrum inerme])

An indigenous shrub common in saline marshes, tidal river banks, seashores and mangrove forest borders in both wet and dry zones. Flowering from March to April and July to August.

Tamarisk (Tamarix indica)

Native shrub or small tree confined to the sea coast of North and Northwestern provinces. Sometimes also occurs in more inland sandy brackish areas. 

වෙල් ආතා [Wel Atha]/Pond Apple/Alligator Apple/Monkey Apple (Annona glabra)

An invasive tree spreading aggressively in southwestern wet lowland marshy areas, mangroves, near paddy fields, forest edges, etc. Common near the coast.  Native tree of tropical and sub tropical coastal areas of the America and west Africa. 

Spermacoce articularis

Common indigenous perennial herb. Flowering from March to August.

දොඹ/තෙල් දොඹ[Domba,Tel-Domba]/Alexandrian Laurel (Calophyllum inophyllum)

Common indigenous tree occurs mainly in the lowland coastal areas. Inland plants are either planted as ornamental or spontaneous.  Oil extracted from the seeds use as lamp oil, soap making and also painting wood works. Whole plant medicinal. 

Scarlet Flame Bean/Mountain Rose/Rose of Venezuela/Cooper Hoop (Brownea coccinea)

Native tree of Venezuela, Guyana, Venezuela, Brazil Trinidad and Tobago. Introduced to the Peradeniya botanical garden in 1849. Cultivated as an ornamental tree.

මාදන්/මහ දන්[Madan/Mahadan]/Black Plum/Java Plum/Jamuna Tree/Indian Blackberry/Jambola (Syzygium cumini)

Native large shrub or tree common in the dry zone, especially along margin of streams and tanks. Also grows in northern sand dunes, where it plays a major part in anchoring the sands and stabilizing dune ridges. Flowering from May to August. Timber used in construction and fruit edible.  Bark and fruits are used in the traditional medicine.