Wednesday, September 7, 2016

සමාදාන[Samadana]/Creeping blepharis (Blepharis maderaspatensis)

Common native trailing herb occurs among grass, usually in partially shaded places along roads, foot paths and jungle borders. Flowering from February to May and again from August to September.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

කෙකටිය[kekatiya] (Aponogeton jacobsenii)

Locally common endemic aquatic herb found in shallow or deep ponds and rivulets with stagnant or fast flowing water in higher elevations from 1650 to 2300 m a.s.l. Flowering from March to May and September to October.

Monday, September 5, 2016

Sunday, September 4, 2016

මහ නුග/නුග[Maha nuga/Nuga]/Banyan/Krishna bo/Krishna's cup (Ficus benghalensis)

An indigenous tree also native to Pakistan and India.Now widely cultivated in towns and villages. Also occurs in lowland forests. 

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Hedyotis lessertiana

An endemic shrub or small tree grows in open and secondary areas of the upper montane shrubberies. Flowering from March to June and also in September.

Friday, September 2, 2016

තේක්ක[Thekka]/Teak/Indian oak (Tectona grandis)

An introduced tree, widely planted for timber. Native to India, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Flowering mainly in the rainy season, starting about a month after the first rain. 

Thursday, September 1, 2016

ඇටඹුරු[Etamburu] (Fagraea ceilanica)

Epiphytic or terrestrial shrub or small tree occurs in and along both primary and secondary forest edges from sea level to about 1500 m a.s.l. or more.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Coldenia procumbens

An indigenous prostrate and spreading herb common in dry sun-baked wastelands and dry margins of tanks of the dry zone. Flowering from July to September.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Black-tipped Percher (Diplacodes nebulosa)

Rather uncommon dragonfly usually found perch on grasses or sticks in wet lowland areas such as marshes, ponds, tanks and nearby vegetation, in all climatic zones.  It occurs all the year round though much common during May and June. As per Bedjanic M, et. al., 2014 the lack of recent records of this dragonfly in the north and east is probably due to less intensive field works in that part of the island, though there are some old records from those areas as well. This individual was photographed at Batticaloa of eastern province in a lawn close to the old Dutch fort on 8th August 2016 confirming its inhabitancy in the eastern part of the country. 

Friday, August 26, 2016

Syzygium sclerophyllum

  An endemic canopy tree, locally common in the montane forests above 2000 m a.s.l. in the main mountain massif. 

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Memecylon rivulare









An endemic small shrub, rather common along stream and river banks in the wet lowland forests.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Isodon nigrescens

An indigenous herb rather common in shaded roadside ditches and damp undergrowth of submontane to montane forests from 1000 -2700 m a.s.l, often close to streams. Flowering throughout the year.

Isodon hians (Benth.) H.W.Li.  is now considered as a synonym of  Isodon nigrescens (Benth.) H.Hara

Monday, August 22, 2016

වල් රෝස[Wal Rosa] (Rubus leucocarpus)










An scrambling shrub with prickles, occurs as two varieties.
1) var. leucocarpus - Occurs in open thickets, jungle paths or by road banks in montane areas.                                               Flowering from December to March (Probably in other months as well),
2) var. tomentosa - Under growth of dense mossy forests, open places in forests, forest edges, road                                      embankments and stream banks in upper montane areas above 2000m a.s.l.

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Coleus Inflatus [Syn: Plectranthus inflatus]

Large endemic perennial herb grows in partial shade close to streams in secondary montane forests from 1200 to 2600 a.s.l. Flowering most of the year. 

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Mesquite (Prosopis juliflora)

An introduced tree or shrub with scattered thorns, native to South America and West Indies. Naturalized in open grazed areas near the south coast, around Hambantota* (Revised Hand Book to Flora of Ceylon Vol 1)

* Also observed at Chilaw to Puttalam area of North Western coast.

Friday, August 19, 2016

බූ කටු හැන්ද[Bu katu handa]Forget-me-not/Hound's tongue(Cynoglossum zeylanicum)

An indigenous herb occurs along roadsides and waste grounds in central highlands. Flowering from February to August.

* Both Cynoglossum furcatum Wall. and Cynoglossum zeylanicum Thunb. ex Lehm are now considered as synonyms of Cynoglossum zeylanicum (Vahl) Brand.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Hyacinth Orchid (Satyrium nepalense)

Rather common indigenous terrestrial herb grows among grass in wet patana lands above 1200 m elevation. Flowering from September to April.