Monday, May 21, 2018

කෙසෙල්[Kesel]/Banana/Plantain(Musa x paradisiaca)

An indigenous giant herb, widely cultivated for its edible fruits. Cultivated varieties are hybrids of Musa acuminata (ගල් කෙහෙල්/උනෙල්) and Musa balbisiana (ඇටි කෙහෙල්), both species are native to India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia

Sunday, May 20, 2018

දාඹු[Dhambu] (Lepisanthes tetraphylla)

An indigenous shrub or moderate size tree, common in dry zone forests (var. tetraphylla).

Variety trichocarpa which is endemic to the island and rarely occurs in the forests of moist regions up to 700 elevations, is frequent around the Kandy. Flowering from March to May.

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Ixora thwaitesii

An indigenous shrub or small tree of moist and intermediate zone forests from lowlands to hill country up to about 1000 (2000) m a.s.l

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

West Indian rattlebox/Zanzibar rattlepod/Cusara pea (Crotalaria trichotoma[Syn: Crotalaria zanzibarica])

An introduced large herb native to tropical East Africa. Introduced as a green manure or cover crop. Escaped and naturalized along road sides, waste places etc. mainly in the hill country. 

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

බෝමී[Bomee] (Litsea glutinosa)

Common native moderate size tree of low country up to about 1000 m elevations. The wood is used for construction works. Bark and leaves medicinal and also used as insect repellents.

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Siamese white ixora (Ixora finlaysoniana)

An introduced ornamental shrub widely cultivated in wet and intermediate zone gardens. Native to the Thailand

Friday, May 11, 2018

Ardisia rothii [Syn: Ardisia missionis]

Common native shrub occurs in shade, along forest edges of the moist region, mainly in the lower montane zone up to 1200 m a.s.l. Flowering and fruiting from April to June. 

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Natal Grass/Rose natal grass/Natal red top (Melinis repens)

An introduced grass species native to the Africa. Naturalized along roadsides, grassy banks, waste places, etc. from low to medium elevations. 

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Acilepis gardneri [Syn: Vernonia gardneri]

Rather rare endemic perennial herb or subshrubs occurs in moist shady places of the hill country.  Flowering from February to May. 

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

වල් කරපිංචා [Wal karapincha] (Micromelum minutum var. ceylanicum)

Micromelum minutum is an indigenous tree of lower altitudes, especially of the dry zone forests and scrub lands. Flowering from October to February and sporadically. 

var ceylanicum endemic to Sri Lanka.

Monday, May 7, 2018

Rauvolfia verticillata [Syn: Rauvolfia densiflora]

Locally common native treelet of disturbed and secondary mist forests and along edges of montane forests from 700 to 2200 m a.s.l.

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Brier rose/Double-flowered china rose/Salem rose(Rubus rosifolius var. coronarius)

An indigenous undershrub frequently cultivated as an ornamental. Country of origin unknown. Also naturalized in the montane zone at 1500 m a.s.l.

* Rubus coronarius (Sims) Sweet, previously treated as a separate species, is now considered as a synonym of Rubus rosifolius var. coronarius Sims

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Rosemary leaved balsam/Rosemarina hill balsam (Impatiens oppositifolia)

An indigenous slender annual herb occurs in grassy places, wet sandy areas, ditches and occasionally in submarshy areas of damp scrub, often in partial shade, from low altitudes to submontane up to 1220 m a.s.l.

Friday, May 4, 2018

නයි බටු/දෙහෙල් බටු[Nai batu/Dehel batu]/Devil's apple/Cockroach berry (Solanum capsicoides)

An introduced undershrub native to tropical America. Escaped and naturalized along moist shady roadsides of the hill country up to montane areas.  

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Caracas rattle box(Crotalaria micans)

An introduced herb with woody base, native to tropical America.  Introduced as an ornamental and green manure. Escaped and naturalized along roads and waste places. Very common. 

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Reissantia indica

Common native liana or struggling shrub of dry zone monsoon forests up to 800 m a.s.l. Flowering and fruiting from June to December.

Flower Size - 1 mm across

Monday, April 30, 2018

Giant mimosa/Giant sensitive Tree (Mimosa pigra)

An introduced  shrub native to the Mexico, Central and South America. First identified at the Mahaweli river bank near Kandy in 1996 (But probably colonized there since early 1980's.). It is now considered as a invasive plant and widely distributed along flood plains of some rivers and along roads when sand from the river bed has been used for road constructions. 

Saturday, April 28, 2018

Pink wood sorrel(Oxalis debilis var. corymbosa)

An introduced herb native to the South America. Introduced to Sri Lanka as an ornamental, prior to 1882. Escaped and naturalized in the cultivated grounds and disturbed areas of mid country and higher elevation. Flowering probably throughout the year. Flowers open around 9. AM and close early afternoon. 

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Sporobolus diandrus [Syn: Sporobolus diander]

Common native grass species widespread throughout the country, while absent only in the upper montane zone. It occurs as a weed of habitation and cultivation. But also found in the grasslands, seepage situations and forest glades. 

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

කිරි කෝන්/මල් පෙත්ත[Kiri Kon/Malpetta] (Walsura trifoliolata)

Common indigenous tree of dry zone forests (sub species - trifoliolata). Sub species acuminata grows in the wet zone. The bark and the ointment prepared from its fruits are used in traditional medicine.

Sunday, April 8, 2018

මාර/පිනි මාර/පාරෙ මාර[Mara/Pini Mara/Para Mara]/Rain tree(Samanea saman[Syn: Albizia saman ])

An introduced tree native to the South America. Rain tree was introduced to Sri Lanka in 1851 and since then widely planted as an avenue tree along many roads. Its leaves and pods are used as fodder and wood can be used to make furniture. 

Saturday, April 7, 2018

ලබු ගිරවා [Labu Girawa]/Alexandrine Parakeet (Psittacula eupatria)

An uncommon breeding resident from lowlands to mid hills. But locally more common in some areas. It is mainly a dry lowland bird though seldom occurs in the wet zone. Alexandrine Parakeet inhabits forests and wooded areas as pairs or as small to large flocks. It feeds on fruits, seeds, grains, etc. The breeding season is from November to May. The nest hole is usually a natural cavity or an old woodpecker''s hole in a large dead or living tree, which the parakeets enlarge to suit its own needs. It lays 2-4 eggs in it. 

Sunday, April 1, 2018

රස කිඳ/බූ කිඳ/වල් කිඳ[Rasa Kinda/Bu Kinda/Wal Kinda]/Tinospora/Gulancha/Guduchi (Tinospora sinensis)

An indigenous woody climber locally common in low altitude forests and open areas. Common in the dry districts.  Stems, leaves and roots are used medicinally for various ailments.



Friday, March 30, 2018

Oriental Honey-Buzzard/බඹර උකුස්සා/සිළු බඹරකුස්සා[Bambara Ukussa/Silu Bambarakussa] (Pernis ptilorhynchus)

Rather rare breeding resident occurs throughout the island while population may increase during the winter months by migrant birds. However it is considered that the majority of our Honey-buzzards are winter visitors arriving  from November to December and leaving in April. Eventhough few instances of nest building of this raptor has so far reported in the island, collecting of nesting materials and young birds have been observed. Also courting behavior and mating of pairs have been noted. It is mainly a forest bird though occasionally seen in open areas. Oriental Honey-Buzzard feeds mainly on wild bees and wasps and their larvae by raiding their nests. It also eats others insects, lizards and small mammals. In India, Oriental Honey-Buzzard builds its nest with sticks, twigs and green leaves in a forest tree and lays two eggs.

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

Saturday, March 17, 2018

රඹුටන්[Rambutan] (Nephelium lappaceum)

An introduced fruit tree native to Thailand and Malaysia. Widely cultivated in wet and intermediate zones up to 600 m a.s.l. Also naturalized. Flowering in April and November, Fruits from July to August and December to January. 

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Monday, February 12, 2018

බට/බට ලී [Bata/Bata Lee] (Ochlandra stridula)

Common endemic bamboo species occurs in moist low country to mid hill forests. Culms use in basket industry, make flutes and wattle while leaves utilize for thatching.