Monday, July 20, 2015

Five bar Swordtail (Pathysa antiphates ceylonicus)

One of the rarest butterfly of the island. It is confine to the few localities in the southwestern wet lowland forests. Where also it occurs probably in a certain period of the year, roughly from January to end of March. Few earlier records also available from the dry zone especially from the Uva province.  Five bar Swordtail usually flies around midday. Therefore it is also known as "12 O' clock fly". Males often settle on wet patches in stream beds and jungle paths as well as the decaying animal matters.  No larval host plants have been discovered of it from Sri Lanka.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

කුකුළු වැල්[Kukulu wel] (Calamus radiatus)

An endemic rattan occurs in forest understorey of southwestern wet lowlands below 1000 m altitude in Kalutara and Galle districts. Flowering from February to March. 

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Friday, July 17, 2015

Torch ginger (Etlingera elatior[Nicolaia elatior])

Native plant of Malaysia. Cultivated occasionally in home gardens, especially in Kandy and Peradeniya area.

Thursday, July 16, 2015

කහ අඬනහිරියා [Kaha Andanahiriya] (Crotalaria retusa)

Common indigenous large herb occurs in waste grounds, roadsides and near seashore. Sometimes also cultivated in gardens. Roots and leaves occasionally use in medicine though plant is reported as poisonous. 

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Ludwigia hyssopifolia

An introduced herb with origin uncertain. Common in open wet disturbed sites such as stream banks, ditches, paddy field & tanks margins, rock crevices and openings in dry and wet zone forests from sea level to 200 m altitudes. 

Monday, July 13, 2015

බිම් බෙරු [Bim-Beru ] (Acrotrema walkeri)

An endemic perennial herb, locally common in the wet montane forests from 610 to 1300 m altitude. Acrotrema walkeri can be easily distinguished from other 6 species of the genus occurs in Sri Lanka (All endemic) by usually having pale-white area along the mid rib and primary veins of the leaves. 

Sunday, July 12, 2015

ඇම්බැරැල්ලා[Ambarella](Spondias dulcis)

An introduced tree presumably introduced into Southeast Asia from the Society islands. Commonly cultivated in home gardens. Fruit edible and whole plant medicinal.

Saturday, July 11, 2015

False Eranthemum (Pseuderanthemum maculatum [Syn: Pseuderanthemum carruthersii])

Introduced ornamental shrub cultivated in gardens. Native of Polynesia. Flowering throughout the year.
Two varieties cultivated in Sri Lanka.

1) variety atropurpureum [or Pseuderanthemum  atropurpureum - now a synonym of Pseuderanthemum carruthersii*]- Above picture
2) variety reticulatum with white flowers with red dotted center [or Pseuderanthemum reticulatum* now a synonym of Pseuderanthemum carruthersii]

*  http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2406673

Friday, July 10, 2015

Horanpella cinnamomea ?


Location - Dothalugala - Knuckles range
Expanse - 10 cm
Reference - The Lepidoptera of Ceylon - F. Moore, F.Z.S. Vol 3 Page 544- 545.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

හාතාවාරිය [Hathawariya] (Asparagus falcatus)

An indigenous rambling and scandent shrub occurs in wet, dry and intermediate zones below 1500 m a.s.l. Flowering from July to October. Young shoots and tubers edible and tuberous roots are used in medicine. 

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

කෙකටිය[Kekatiya] (Aponogeton rigidifolius)

An endemic aquatic herb with submerged leaves, distributed in slow or fast flowing streams and rivers in Kalutara, Rathnapura and Galle districts of the southwestern wet lowlands.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Common Jay (Graphium doson)

Common butterfly widely distributed throughout the country except in the far north. Males often settle in large numbers on wet patches on gravel roads, river beds, etc. It takes parts in migrations and sometimes flies in great numbers. The larva feeds on Polyalthia cerasoides [Patta-Ul-Kenda/පට්ට උල්කෙන්ද], Polyalthia korinti [Mi-Wenna, Ul-Kenda/මීවැන්න/උල් කෙන්ද]Uvaria macropoda and Miliusa indica*[Kekili-Messa/කැකිලිමැස්ස] of the family Annonaceae

* Larva fed on tender leaves and flowers only in the lab.

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Mandarin's hat/Chinese hats/Chinese Umbrellas/Cup & Saucer/Parasol flower/Sombrero flower (Holmskioldia sanguinea)

Straggling shrub or small tree native to subtropical Himalayan region of Pakistan and India. Introduced as an ornamental plant to Sri Lanka and cultivated in gardens. 

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Purple-bean (Macroptilium atropurpureum)

Trailing or twining herb native to tropical America. Probably introduced as a cover crop and now naturalized along roadsides, waste places, etc.

Friday, July 3, 2015

හුණු කිරිල්ල[Hunu kirilla] (Glochidion zeylanicum)

Rather common native tree occurs along forest borders, open sunny exposed slopes and wet and dry savanna or patana areas from sea level to about 1000 m altitudes. 

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Stemorrhages oceanitis


Location - Indhikada Mookalana forest reserve
Expanse - 2.9 - 5 cm
Reference - The Lepidoptera of Ceylon - F. Moore, F.Z.S. Vol 3. (Probably the 'margaronia glauculalis' of plate 181 and page 325)

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Siam weed/Devil weed/Common floss flower (Chromolaena odorata [Eupatorium odoratum])

An introduced large herb native to tropical South America. It was first introduced an ornamental at Peradeniya botanical garden in 1884 where it subsequently dead out. When it was next introduced is not recorded but during 1937-1947 it became naturalized in Balangoda  Ratnapura area and spread rapidly up to extend that it was considered as a dangerous weed in 1944. It is now listed as an invasive which is very common along roadsides, waste grounds and forest clearings at lower elevations. Flowering from January to July. 

Monday, June 29, 2015

හීන්-බින්-තල්[Heen-Bin-Tal]/Yellow ground star(Curculigo orchioides)

Locally common native herb occurs in grasslands, patanas and open areas in forests from sea level to about 2000 m a.s.l. Flowering throughout the year. Used in medicine. 

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Indochinese Cuckooshrike (Annotated checklist of vagrant Cuckooshrikes (Family: Campephagidae) of Sri Lanka)

      Birds that appear outside their normal range are known as vagrants. This post listed up to date published sight records of single *unconfirmed vagrant of the family Campephagidae (Cuckooshrikes  and Minivets) in Sri Lanka.   

     1) Indochinese Cuckooshrike (Coracina polioptera)
Single sight record at Sigiriya in February 1993 by A.J. Vincent is the only record. (Kotagama S. & Ratnavira G. 2010:287).

References:
Kotagama, S., Ratnavira, G. 2010. An illustrated Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka. Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Colombo.

*Species for which there are only one or two sight records exist categorized here as unconfirmed vagrants. Problematic records without sufficient details are also included. 

Friday, June 26, 2015

ක‍ටු ඉකිරි/නීරමුල්ලිය [Katu-ikiri/Neeramulliya] (Hygrophila auriculata [Syn: Hygrophila schulli])

Common indigenous herb occurs in marshy places and roadside ditches of both wet and dry zone. Especially along edges of dry zone tanks and ponds. Flowering from January to October. Roots use in medicine and leaf congee is made from the plant.