Utricularia hirta

Critically endangered, native terrestrial herb of damp or wet open grassy places in the wet lower hill country up to 900 m a.s.l. Flowering in February.  Utricularia hirta is the only Sri Lankan Utricularia species with hairs on the peduncle and on the inflorescence calyx.

Cyperus platyphyllus

Rather rare indigenous perennial growing in large tufts in marshy places of low altitudes. 

නා/නාමල්[Na/Namal]/Iron Wood (Mesua ferrea)

The national tree of Sri Lanka though not endemic to the country. Much cultivated as an ornamental in Buddhist temples and home gardens or as an avenue tree along roads. Wild trees found usually in river valleys in wetter part of the island up to about 1000 m a.s.l. Wood extremely hard. Flowers and leaves used in traditional medicine.

අමු[Amu] (Paspalum scrobiculatum)

Common native perennial occurs in open grassy areas, roadsides, patanas, ditches, margins of paddy fields, tanks and marshlands etc. from sea level to about 1900 m elevations. Cultivated form of Paspalum scrobiculatum is very rarely cultivated as a cereal. 

Henckelia humboldtiana [Syn: Didymocarpus humboldtianus]

An indigenous herb rather common mainly in the montane zone up to 1700 m a.s.l. Also found in the intermediate and dry zones. Early records also available from the wet lowlands. It grows in rock crevices and small pockets of soil on rock surfaces, mostly in the shade, but occasionally on moist exposed surfaces. Flowering throughout the year. 

Mistflower/Spreading snakeroot (Ageratina riparia [Syn: Eupatorium riparium])

Native herb of Mexico and West Indies. Probably introduced as an ornamental (Earliest specimen was collected from the neighborhood of  Hakgala Botanic garden in 1926). Escaped and widely naturalized along roadsides and tracks, margins of cultivation and forest edges and waste lands above 1300 m elevations.It has become a serious weed and listed as a invasive plant to Sri Lanka. Mistflower forms a dense strand and prevent the growth of native plants. Seeds spread by wind and water. Flowering from December to May and probably throughout the year.

ගිරා පලා[Gira pala] (Commelina indehiscens)

Rather uncommon native herb of evergreen forests and roadsides, often near streams from 250 to 1800 m elevations.  Flowering from November to January. 

යක්බේරිය[Yakberiya]/Rattle-box/Bird flower (Crotalaria laburnifolia)

Common native large herb of the low country. 

Painted Sawtooth (Prioneris sita)

Rather rare butterfly of mid hill forests from 600 to 900 m elevations, while descending to 400 m a.s.l. along southern and southwestern part of the hills. This butterfly mimics the poisonous Common Jeseble by size, coloration and wing pattern as well as the behavior, especially in its style of flight. However if disturbed it immediately flies away with great speed.  Painted Sawtooth males often settles on wet patches on ground for mud puddling. Female rarely encountered and spends much of its time inside the forest. Its larva feeds on Capparis moonii

Utricularia bifida

An indigenous small terrestrial herb found on wet soil and rocks, and as a weed in paddy fields from sea level to 1600 m a.s.l. Flowering in June, July and November to January. 

වල් ඇඹිල්ල/කටු ඇඹිල්ල[Wal Embilla/Katu Embilla] (Elaeagnus latifolia)

An indigenous shrub common in the shrub jungles around the patanas and forest edges in the mid hills of moist and intermediate zones. Flowering periodically throughout the year. Flowers fragrant and fruits edible. 

Sacciolepis indica

A common native grass in wet depressions and moist grassy slopes, sometime in partial shade from near sea level to over 1520 m elevations. 

Sonerila zeylanica

Rather common endemic herb of montane forests. 

රට කැටඹිල්ල[Rata Ketambilla]/Rose-Leaved Bramble/Wild Raspberry (Rubus rosifolius)

An indigenous low shrub occurs in shady moist areas, along streams or borders of tea estates and open places or cleared slopes along roadsides among bushes or patana margins mainly in the Kandy district. Flowering from January to March. Fruits edible and collecting to make Jam. 

Impatiens henslowiana

Rather rare native perennial of scrub and rocky places in the hill country rain forests from 900 to 2000 m elevations. Often found close to rivers and streams or in the spray zone of waterfalls. Large herb of about 60-150 cm tall.

Habenaria acuminata

Rather common native terrestrial orchid species found among grass and other weeds on the slopes and hill cuttings in the submontane zone between 915 and 1524 m elevations. 

මතබිම්බිය/මැටිඹේබිය[Matabimbiya/Matibembiya] (Maesa indica)

Common native shrub or small tree grows in shady places of moist region, especially in the hills up to about 2000 m elevations. Flowering and fruiting occurs from February to April. Fruits edible.

Flower size - About 0.25 cm across

Great Orange Tip/Giant Orange Tip (Hebomoia glaucippe)

Largest Pieridae butterfly of the island with very fast flight. It often flies very high. Great Orange Tip occurs all over the country close to forest areas and in scrublands but much common in the dry lowlands up to about 100ft a.s.l. Larva feeds on Capparis mooni(රුදන්ති) in the hills and Capparis roxburghii(කලු ඉල්ලන්ගෙඩි), Crateva adansonii(ලුණුවරණ) and Capparis sepiaria(රිලා කටු) in the dry lowlands. Males settle on damp earth to absorb minerals. It is a migratory species and Ormiston mention about a flight of many thousands in November 1912 (“The largest flight I ever saw was in November, 1912. From south of Maho to Ambanpola, on the Northern line, the train passed for nearly half an hour through a swarm of many thousands” (Ormiston W., 1924))

කෙකටිය[kekatiya](Aponogeton natans)

An indigenous aquatic herb  occurs in stagnant, shallow most probably temporary waters, paddy fields, ponds and marshlands from sea level to about 800 m elevations. Flowering throughout the year.

Bothriochloa pertusa

An indigenous tufted perennial common in pastures and grassy borders at low and medium elevations and lower montane zone.