Tuesday, December 13, 2016

නිවිති [Nivithi]/Malabar Spinach(Basella alba)

An indigenous twining herb often cultivated as a leafy vegetable. Wild plants are rather rare and confine to the forest and shady places of the dry areas. Whole plant medicinal. Flowering from September to December. 

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Paddyfield Pipit/Indian Pipit/ගොමරිට්ටා[Gomaritta]/කෙත් වැරටිච්චා[Keth Waratichcha] (Anthus rufulus)

Rather common breeding resident inhabiting grasslands, paddy fields and open areas throughout the island. It lives in pairs or sometimes as scattered flocks. Paddyfield Pipit feeds on grasshoppers, ground beetles and other such insects on ground. It occasionally perch on trees and shrubs but usually inhabiting the ground, running swiftly over the grass, often standing erect to view the surrounding. The main breading season is from March to July though nests may be found during the other months of the year. The nest, cup made up of pad of grass, rootlets, etc. is placed on the ground under the shelter of grass tussock. The normal clutch consists of three eggs. 

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

වැල් කෑලිය/වැල් මැඩිය[Wel Keliya/Wel Mediya] (Grewia orientalis)

Common native shrub grows in forests, scrub lands and grasslands in the dry zone. Flexible Branches of this shrub were used to make bows by Veddhas. 

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

හීන් අල[Heen Ala](Glinus oppositifolius [Syn: Mollugo oppositifolia])

Common mat forming indigenous prostrate herb occurs in moist to dry open places in the lowlands. Often grows on the bottom of empty tanks. 

Monday, December 5, 2016

කෝන [Kona]/Mexican Lilac (Gliricidia sepium)

An introduced tree native to tropical America. Planted as a shade tree for tea, cocoa and Coffee and also in fences. 

Saturday, December 3, 2016

මලිත්තන් [Maliththan]/Mustard Tree (Salvadora persica)




An  indigenous small tree in open areas and scrub lands of the dry and arid regions, especially by the coast. Flowering all the year rounds. Whole plant medicinal.


Friday, December 2, 2016

කෝන්[Kon]/Ceylon Oak (Schleichera oleosa)

Common native tree of dry and intermediate zone forests up to 700 m elevations. Flowering from March to April and fruiting from April to August. Bark and oils extracted from seeds are used in medicine.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

තිලෝගුරු[Thiloguru] (Polygala javana)

Common native herb (Sometimes a shrub up to 1 m tall ) occurs in dry open areas and shrubby roadsides of the dry lowlands. Flowering throughout the year. 

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Black Sage (Varronia curassavica [Syn: Cordia curassavica])

An introduced shrub native to tropical America. Escaped and widely established as a common weed along roadsides, waste lands and open areas. It is said that Black Sage was first introduced to the Anuradapura Botanical garden which was existed near the  'Anuradapura Hotel?' (Alston , 1931) 

Monday, November 28, 2016

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Commelina ensifolia

Common indigenous herb occurs on rocky hills, rock crevices, edge of rock pools, river banks, scrubs, forests, grasslands, sandy and weedy areas and roadsides from sea level to about 260 m a.s.l. Flowering from March to April, July and September to January.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Lesser Cuckoo/Small Cuckoo/Little Cuckoo/පුංචි කොහා/පුංචි කෝකිලයා[Punchi Koha/Punchi Kokilaya] (Cuculus poliocephalus)

Rather rare winter migrant to forests, open wooded areas and gardens from lowlands to mid hills. While its stay in the island Lesser Cuckoo lives as solitary birds and feeds on insects including hairy caterpillars. It breeds from Himalayas to the Northern China.

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Ducklettuce (Ottelia alismoides)

Common native floating herb with fully or partly submerged leaves, occurs in standing stagnant pools and shallow slow running streams.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Blunt Arrowhead (Limnophyton obtusifolium)

Common native marsh plant grows in tanks and ponds, mainly in the dry lowlands. Flowering from February to April and August to September. 

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Monday, November 21, 2016

Rosy Starling/රෝස සැරිකාවා/රෝස මයිනා[Rosa Sarikava/Rosa Myna] (Pastor roseus)

An uncommon winter migrant mainly to the dry lowlands and particularly to the coastal areas. Rosy Starling is a highly gregarious and noisy bird spends much of its time on the ground, feeding on insects, fruits,berries, nectar and grains. During its stay in Sri Lanka it inhabits grasslands, cultivation, home gardens and forests. It is an irregular winter visitor appears in large numbers in some years and almost absent in some other years. Large numbers gather to roost communally to a selected tree or a large shrub during the night. It breeds in East Europe and Middle East and almost entire world population winters in India and Sri Lanka. Most of the birds which visits the island appears to be in immature plumage. 

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Madras Carpet (Grangea maderaspatana)

An uncommon  native prostrate herb on moist grounds like margins of tanks in the drier northern part of the country. Flowering throughout the year.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Creeping Lickstoop (Dentella repens)

An indigenous mat forming prostrate herb grows on sandy river banks, empty tank beds and open areas. Also occurs as a weed in rice fields and lawns.