Watercock/විල් කුකුලා/කෝරාවා[Wil kukula/Korawa] (Gallicrex cinera)

Rather uncommon elusive breeding resident inhabiting marshlands, reed beds and well grown paddy fields throughout the lowlands. It is largely a nocturnal bird and due to its skulking habit of moving among reeds it is considered as one of the difficult bird to observe. Watercock mainly feeds on grains, rice-blades, tender shoots, etc. It also eat insects and molluscs. It breeds from July to August during the southwestern monsoons. The nest is a mass of weed well hidden in dense vegetation where it lays two eggs. 

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

කොහොඹ[Kohomba]/Neem/Margosa(Azadirachta indica)

An introduced tree probably native to the Burma. Widely cultivated and also naturalized in the dry lowland areas. Whole plant medicinal, seeds insecticidal and wood used in construction industry.

දිවි අඩිය/දිවි පහුර[Divi adiya/Divi pahura](Ipomoea pes-tigridis)

An indigenous vine occurs along roadsides, grasslands, cultivated grounds and disturbed places mainly in the dry low country. 

කපු කිනිස්ස[Kapu kinissa](Hibiscus platanifolius [Syn: Hibiscus eriocarpus])

Common indigenous shrub or small tree grows in dry zone forests and forest margins. Flowering from January to April. 

රණවරා[Ranawara]/Matara Tea/Tanner's cassia(Senna auriculata[Cassia auriculata])

Common native shrub or small tree  occurs in dry zone jungles. Also cultivated in home gardens. Flowering from February to March. Roots, leaves and, seeds are medicinal and dried flowers and flower buds are used as a substitute for tea. 

ඉරමුසු/හීන්-ඉරමුසු[Iramusu/Heen-Iramusu] (Hemidesmus indicus)

An indigenous perennial twiner common in scrub lands and forests from lowlands to about 1000m elevation. Flowering in February. Roots use in traditional medicine as a tonic.

මඤ්ඤොක්කා[Manyokka]/Manioc/Cassava (Manihot esculenta)

Native shrub of tropical America with long unbranched stem. Introduced by Portuguese during their reign of maritime provinces of the Sri Lanka.* Now widely cultivated in home gardens and plantations for its edible tuberous roots. Young leaves are also edible. Flowers can be seen only on large neglected plants.

* Tagus to Taprobane, Shihan de Silva Jayasuriya, 2001

සේපාලිකා[Sepalika]/Coral jasmine/Sorrowful nyctanthes/Tree of sadness/Tree of sorrow(Nyctanthes arbor-tristis)

An introduced straggling shrub or small tree widely cultivated in home gardens. Native to India, Thailand and Indonesia. Flowers opening at night and casting of at sunrise. Flowering occurs mainly from August to November, but also in other months.

ඇට පන්[Eta Pan] (Lepironia articulata)

Leafless indigenous perennial occurs in saline swamps and back marshes along the coast.  Known only from Muthurajawela marshy land and along Hamilton canal in the Negombo area and from Caltura (Kalutara?) (Flora of Ceylon Vol 5) *

* Photographed at Diyawanna oya marsh land of Kotte,  probably introduced to that area since part of former wetland is now turned into the Baddagana biodiversity park and Bird Sanctuary. 

නික/සුදු නික[Nika/Sudu nika]/Indian privet/Indian wild pepper (Vitex trifolia)

An indigenous shrub or small tree occurs from sea level to 650m a.s.l, mostly along the coast. Fruits and leaves are used in traditional medicine.  

Cyanotis pilosa

An indigenous herb occurs in montane patanas and open, moist roadsides from 1700 to 2400 m elevations. Flowering throughout the year.

මිල්ල/කහ මිල්ල/නියන් මිල්ල/මියන් මිල්ල/සපු මිල්ල[Milla/Kaha milla/Niyan milla/Miyan milla/Sapu milla]/(Vitex altissima)

Large native tree common in dry and intermediate zone forests. Also grown in home gardens. Bark medicinal and wood used in furniture making and construction industry. 

පොතු පලා[Pothu-pala] (Aniseia martinicensis)

Native vine with herbaceous stem of Central and South America. Introduced and naturalized in swampy areas, especially in paddy fields of southwestern lowlands. Leaves edible. 

එළ දදකිරිය[Ela dada kiriya] (Euphorbia indica)

Native annual herb grows in open grasslands, roadsides and cultivation up to about 1500 m a.s.l.

මයුර තණ[Mayura Tana] (Chloris barbata)

An indigenous grass occurs in the low country, mainly in the dry zone. A weed of waste places, coastal areas, abandoned cultivation, etc.

හක්-ඇඹල/මහ හක්-ඇඹල[Hak-Ambala/Maha Hak-Ambala](Begonia malabarica)

An indigenous herb widely distributed in shady spots on rocky hill slopes and by streams of the wet zone forests from 100-1500 m elevations. Also occurs in wet and shady places in the isolated dry zone hills. Flowering throughout the year. 

Phyllanthus virgatus (Phyllanthus simplex)

Native herb of grassy areas and roadsides of the low country.

Lowland Kangaroo Lizard/Earless Lizard/පිනුම් කටුස්සා/තැලි කටුස්සා[Pinum Katussa/Thali Katussa] (Otocryptis nigristigma)

An endemic lizard rather common in dry lowlands up to about 400 m elevations. It lives  among leaf litter of forest floor and sometimes even on tree trunks and rocks. Lowland Kangaroo Lizard inhabits both natural as well as the anthropogenic habitats, if adequate shade and leaf litter is available.

ගස්-කැප්පෙටියා[Gas-Keppetiya] (Croton aromaticus [Syn: Croton laccifer])

Native shrub or small tree grows in forests and bordering areas up to about 800m elevations in both dry and wet regions. Leaves use to control soil-borne pests in paddy fields and betel-vine plantations. Lac use in traditional lacquer works is a secretions of a certain scale-insect species (Tachardia lacca) living on the tender branches of this tree sucking juice of them. Roots, bark and leaves use in traditional medicine.

මුකුනුවැන්න/මුඟුනුවැන්න[Mukunu-wenna,Mugunuwenna]/Sessile joyweed/Tangle mat(Alternanthera sessilis)

Very common introduced herb occurs in paddy fields, ditches, roadsides, gardens and disturbed places in lowlands up to about 1180 m elevations. Eaten as a vegetable and often cultivated.

Murdannia loriformis

Rather uncommon native perennial herb grows on rocky slopes in shade from 25 m to 500 m a.s.l. in wet and intermediate zones. Flowering occurs from November to December. Flowers opening around 10.15-10.45 A.M. and fading around 12.00 P.M.

දෙල්/රට දෙල්[Del/Rata del]/Breadfruit tree(Artocarpus altilis [Syn: Artocarpus incisus])

Native tree probably of New Guinea. Planted in home gardens. Occurs in two forms one with seeds and conical processes on the syncarp and the other seedless without such processes. Fruit edible and wood used in light construction works. 

Typhonodorum lindleyanum

An introduced large aquatic herb native to the Madagascar. Cultivated at the Peradeniya Botanical garden.

Pseuderanthemum latifolium

An indigenous shrub occurs  under shade of trees in the dry zone secondary semi-evergreen forests. flowering from January to October.

Painted-lip Lizard/Sri Lankan Bloodsucker/තොල විසිතුරු කටුස්සා[Thola visithuru Katussa] (Calotes ceylonensis)

An endemic lizard confine to the semi-evergreen monsoon forests, home gardens and plantations in the dry and intermediate zones up to about 400 elevations. Painted-lip Lizard is an arboreal agamid inhabiting tree trunks of large trees. It active during the day time and feeds on butterflies, day moths, bees and other insects.

Anaphalis subdecurrens

Native annual herb very common on grassy banks and patanas of hill country from 1200 to 2100 m elevations. Flowering throughout the year. 

Andrographis alata

An indigenous herb common in under shade of shrubs or trees and along borders of rocks in dry zone shrub jungles. Flowering from March to August.

Mitrephora heyneana

An indigenous tree locally common on rocks and along streams in dry and intermediate zone forested hills from 150 to about 450 m elevations.

රට තෝර[Rata thora]/Dhal/Pigeon Pea/Chick Pea/Red Gram (Cajanus cajan)

Introduced shrub native to tropical Asia. Cultivated for edible seeds, of them dhal curry is made.

Lysimachia deltoidea [Lysimachia procumbens]

A native prostrate herb occurs along stream banks and seepage areas in the forests and transition zones between forests and patana grasslands of the hill country above 1900 m elevation. 

පුස් වැල්[Pus wel](Entada rheedei[Syn:Entada pusaetha])

Large native woody climber in moist low country forests up to about 600 m a.s.l. Juice of the wood and bark used in medicine. 

ගල් වෙරළු[Gal veralu](Elaeocarpus subvillosus)

An endemic tree of wet lowland forests up to about 2000 n a.s.l. Flowering from February to April and again from July to November. Fruits in September. 

Anaphalis brevifolia

An indigenous much branched annual or biennial herb occurs in grassy banks and patanas from  1500 to 2100 m a.s.l. Rather common and flowering from September to April. 

කැකිරි[Kekiri]/Melon (Cucumis melo)

An indigenous or introduced herb with climbing or creeping stems. Widely cultivated for its edible fruits. Also escaped and naturalized in waste places.

Lysimachia laxa

An indigenous herb with erect stem occurs in shady places in the hill country forests above 1600 m a.s.l. Flowering from August to September and December to January.

Hedyotis ceylanica [Syn: Metabolus decipiens]

An endemic woody herb locally common in open and secondary places in the montane zone. Flowering from February to August.

හැඩවක[Hadawaka](Chaetocarpus castanicarpus )

An indigenous tree occurs in both primary and secondary rain forests from sea level to about 500 m elevations in wet and intermediate zones.

බෝවිටියා[Bovitiya] (Osbeckia walkeri)

Rather rare endemic shrub occurs in grasslands, open places in forests and forest edges of the montane zone.

Spiranthes australis [Spiranthes sinensis]

An indigenous terrestrial herb grows in wet patana-grasslands in the hill country. Flowering throughout the year.