Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Shrubby false buttonweed (Spermacoce verticillata)

Native perennial herb of  Tropical America. Introduced and naturalized along roadsides, waste lands,etc. Rather common weed.  

Monday, December 7, 2015

දේවකගේ තැලි කටුස්සා [Devakage Theli Katussaa]/Devaka's Fan-throated Lizard (Sitana devakai)


Fan throated Lizard inhabiting dry coastal areas of  the North, Northwestern and Southeastern part of the country was formerly considered as a single species Sitana ponticeriana which is also recorded from the India. However with the recent taxonomic changes now it is considered that Sri Lanka is home to two distinct endemic species, one occurs in the Southeastern coastal areas (Sitana bahiri) and other in the Northern and Northwestern part of the island (Sitana devakai).

Devaka's Fan-throated Lizard is an endemic lizard confine to the dry coastal areas of the north and north western part of the island. However sometime it is recorded even 10-60 km from the nearest beach. It is active during the day time. Territorial behaviors of Sitana devakai are similar to its Southeastern congener Sitana bahiri.  

References:
Amarasinghe, A.A.T., Ineich I., Karunarathna D.M.S.S., Madhava W., Botejue S. & Campbell P.D., 2015 Two new species of the genus Sitana Cuvier, 1829 (Reptilia: Agamidae) from Sri Lanka, including a taxonomic revision of the Indian Sitana species, Zootaxa 3915(1): 67-98

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Acrostichum aureum

Probably the only fern species found in the mangroves of Sri Lanka*. It occurs usually on landward side of the mangroves and brackish water marshes. Young reddish leaves edible and made into a curry. Dried leaves are also used as thatching of temporary huts.

* Locality unknown single specimen of Acrostichum speciosum is also mentioned in the Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon Vol XV Part B page 367.

Friday, December 4, 2015

කරවිල/බටු කරවිල[Karawila/Batu karawila](Momordica charantia)

An indigenous climbing herb occurs in lowland rain forests, riverine forests and cultivated areas up to 1200 m a.s.l. Fruit use in curries and pickles. Several cultivated varieties are used as vegetables.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Areca triandra

Native palm of Bangladesh, Andaman islands and Malay peninsula. Cultivated as an ornamental in gardens. 

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

ඉත්ත[Itha](Schefflera heterobotrya)

An endemic shrub or tree occurs in up country forests from 610 to 1900 m elevations. Sometimes found near streams. Flowering and fruiting occurs after the monsoon with full fruiting from October.


Monday, November 30, 2015

නස් නාරන්[Nus naran] (Citrus x madurensis)

Shrub or small tree cultivated in home gardens for its edible fruit. It is probably a stable hybrid between Kumquat (Fortunella spp.) and sour Mandarin species (Citrus reticulata var. austera

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Saturday, November 28, 2015

වැරණිය[Veraniya](Hedyotis fruticosa)

An indigenous small shrub grows on open secondary vegetation and rocky areas on mountain tops up to about 1000 m elevations

Friday, November 27, 2015

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Didymoplexis pallens

Rare terrestrial, leafless and saprophytic orchid species grows under shade of trees in carpet of fallen and decaying leaves of the wet lowland forests.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Wormbush/Pinkroot(Spigelia anthelmia)

An introduced annual herb native to tropical America. Naturalized along roadsides, home gardens and waste places in Southern and western part of the Country.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

බැවිල[Bavila]/Heart Leaf Fan Petals(Sida cordata)

Common indigenous prostrate or ascending slender herb grows in grasslands, waste areas and roadsides, mainly in the dry lowlands. Whole plant used in Ayurveda medicine.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Thyas coronata


Location - Sri JayawardenapuraKotte.
Host Plant - Flowers (Only first instar larvae) and tender leaves (Larvae of all instars) of Rangoon creeper/Drunken sailor(Quisqualis indica) - (Sujeeva Gunasena, ‎ Personal communication, October 31, 2015)
External Links - http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/1890501

Sunday, November 22, 2015

කටු තම්පලා[Katu tampala]/Spiny amaranth/Prickly amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus)

Very common introduced weed occurs along roadsides, waste and disturbed grounds and in gardens. Flowering throughout the year. The young leaves are eaten as a kind of spinach and whole plant especially leaves and roots are medicinal.

Saturday, November 21, 2015