Monday, January 18, 2016

සැළලිහිණියා [Salalihiniya]/Sri Lanka Hill Myna [Ceylon Grackle/Ceylon Hill Myna] (Gracula ptilogenys)

Rather uncommon endemic bird occurs locally in forests and near by well wooded home gardens, plantations, etc. from wet lowlands to the mid hills. It feeds on fruits, high in the canopy level of the forest, as pairs or as small groups. The breeding season lasts from February to May and probably again from August to September. The nest is a cavity in a tree hole.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

වල් කොබ්බෑ[Wal Kobbe] (Allophylus zeylanicus)

Rather common endemic shrub or small tree occurs in the wet zone forests up to about 2000 m elevations. Flowering from March to May and September to October. Whole plant medicinal.

Saturday, January 16, 2016

ගෙරටිය/ගෙරි ඇට [Geratiya/Geri ata] (Chionanthus zeylanicus)

Native shrub or small tree grows mainly in the dry and intermediate zone mixed and evergreen forests as well as the scrub jungles. Uncommon in the wet zone. Often occurs on sandy areas and among rocks from sea level to about 650 m a.s.l.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Kris plant (Alocasia sanderiana)

Globally critically endangered plant naturally found only in two locations, namely Bukidnon and Misamis Occidental (Mindanao Island) of the Philippine. Widely cultivated as an ornamental pot plant in gardens. Not naturalized.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Monday, January 11, 2016

Indian Dart/Pallid Dart (Potanthus pallida)

Very rare butterfly. W. Ormiston first collected it in Sri Lanka at Haldumulla, and noted in his monograph of Sri Lankan butterflies "The Butterflies of Ceylon" as either a distinct race or a seasonal form of Common Dart (Potanthus pseudomaesa) (Ormiston W., 1924). Since then no authentic published records or  collected specimens or photographs were available of it until Tharaka S PriyadarshanaChamitha De Alwis and Ishara Harshajith Wijewardhane rediscovered it from Paraviyangala mountain of Badulla district on 14th October 2012 and again at Bambarakanda mountain road of Ratnapura district on 7th July 2014. Both locations are situated proximity of Haldummulla, the original locality where Ormiston collected it on or before year 1924. Above female Indian Dart was also photographed at Bambarakanda mountain road on 4th February 2015. No data available on its early stage of the life cycle or the larval host plant in Sri Lanka.

Note: - Two recently published butterfly guides for Sri Lanka have images of Indian Dart. "A Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Sri Lanka, Second Edition Himesh Dilruwan Jayasinghe, Sarath Sanjeewa Rajapakshe, Chamitha De Alwis, 2015 and A Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies & Dragonflies of Sri Lanka by Gehan De Silva Wijeyeratne,2015. However the image in the later one is not resembles the Indian dart and probably an incorrect identification of a male Tropic Dart (Potanthus Confucius satra)
.
References:
  • Ormiston, W., 1924. The Butterflies of Ceylon.
  • T.M.T.S. Priyadarshana, C. de Alwis & G.V.I.H. Wijewardana, 2015, Rediscovery of two Darts (Lepidoptera) in Sri Lanka after 90 years, Taprobanica,  January, 2015. Vol. 07, No. 01: pp. 43–44.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Fringed false pimpemel (Bonnaya ciliata [Syn: Lindernia ciliata])

An indigenous herb grows in wet places among grass and on damp rocks in the dry lowlands and the wet hills up to about 650 m a.s.l. Less commonly occurs also in the wet lowlands. Flowering throughout the year. 

Friday, January 8, 2016

මයානි[Mayani]/Common small justicia (Rostellularia procumbens [Syn: Justicia procumbens])

Common indigenous herb grows in light shade among grass along roadsides, waste lands, scrub lands, etc. from sea level to about 1800 m a.s.l. of the low country to mid hill drier areas. Flowering throughout the year. 

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Commelina undulata [Syn: Commelina kurzii]

An indigenous ascending and climbing herb common in shaded lowland scrub lands, forests, rocky outcrops, roadsides, banks, etc. from sea level to about 775 m a.s.l. Flowering from December to March.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Curoba sangarida

Location - Kotte
External Links - http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/367969-Curoba-sangarida
Reference - The Lepidoptera of Ceylon - F. Moore, F.Z.S. Vol 2 Page 49 & Plate

Expanse 4 cm
Larval food plantFirecracker flower (Crossandra infundibuliformis) (Sujeeva Gunasena Personal communication)


Tuesday, January 5, 2016

සුළු නයි[Sulu-Nayi]/Creeping rungia (Rungia repens)

Common native creeping herb grows among short grass or bare sandy soil in waste grounds and paddy field borders in the dry lowlands. Flowering from September to March.

Sunday, January 3, 2016

පෝටා වැල් [Pota wel] (Pothos scandens)

Very common indigenous climber with roots that attach to tree trunks and rocks. Found in the wet and intermediate lowlands and lower hills. Flowering on hanging branches.

බෙලිපට්ට[Belipatta](Hibiscus tiliaceus)

An indigenous much branched tree occurs mainly near the coast and close to the rivers and streams in the low country. 

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Cutleaf groundcherry (Physalis angulata)

An introduced annual herb native to America. Occasional weed of low moist ground. Common near the Negombo.

Friday, January 1, 2016

නෙළු[Nelu](Strobilanthes zeylanica)

Very rare critically endangered endemic under-shrub grows in moist low country forests up to about 600 m  a.s.l.