මතබිම්බිය/මැටිඹේබිය[Matabimbiya/Matibembiya] (Maesa indica)

Common native shrub or small tree grows in shady places of moist region, especially in the hills up to about 2000 m elevations. Flowering and fruiting occurs from February to April. Fruits edible.

Flower size - About 0.25 cm across

Great Orange Tip/Giant Orange Tip (Hebomoia glaucippe)

Largest Pieridae butterfly of the island with very fast flight. It often flies very high. Great Orange Tip occurs all over the country close to forest areas and in scrublands but much common in the dry lowlands up to about 100ft a.s.l. Larva feeds on Capparis mooni(රුදන්ති) in the hills and Capparis roxburghii(කලු ඉල්ලන්ගෙඩි), Crateva adansonii(ලුණුවරණ) and Capparis sepiaria(රිලා කටු) in the dry lowlands. Males settle on damp earth to absorb minerals. It is a migratory species and Ormiston mention about a flight of many thousands in November 1912 (“The largest flight I ever saw was in November, 1912. From south of Maho to Ambanpola, on the Northern line, the train passed for nearly half an hour through a swarm of many thousands” (Ormiston W., 1924))

කෙකටිය[kekatiya](Aponogeton natans)

An indigenous aquatic herb  occurs in stagnant, shallow most probably temporary waters, paddy fields, ponds and marshlands from sea level to about 800 m elevations. Flowering throughout the year.

Bothriochloa pertusa

An indigenous tufted perennial common in pastures and grassy borders at low and medium elevations and lower montane zone. 

කුඹුරු/කුඹුරු වැල්/කළු වවුලැටිය[Kumburu/Kumburu-Wel/Kalu-Vavuletiya]/Grey Nicker(Guilandina bonduc [Syn: Caesalpinia bonduc])

An indigenous climbing or prostrate shrub common mainly in the coastal areas. Tender leaves and seeds medicinal. 

Cynodon barberi

Rather rare native perennial mainly occurs in the dry lowlands. Loosely mat-forming usually in open damp sites. 

Pin-tailed Snipe/උල්පෙඳ කැස්වටුවා[Ulpendha Keswatuwa] (Gallinago stenura)

Common winter migrant to the weedy swamps, wet grasslands and paddy fields throughout the island though much common in the lowlands. While its stay in Sri Lanka Pin-tailed snipe is mainly a nocturnal bird. But in undisturbed areas it would often feed until late hours of the morning and again in the afternoon. It feeds mainly on insects and their larvae as well as earthworms, using its long beak, the tip of which is highly sensitive and also can be open widely while the rest of it remains closed. Pin-tailed snipe breeds in eastern Asia.

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >> 

හීන් බිං කොහොඹ[Heen Bin Kohomba] (Andrographis paniculata)

Very rare indigenous herb considered as a Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) in the 2012 Red list. However Jayasinghe H.D. has reported it in a home garden at Hammaliya of the Kurunegala district in 2013-14. Pictures posted with this post were observed at a roadside embankment at Dondra (දෙවිනුවර/දෙවුන්දර) of Matara district in mid of December 2017 with flowers. Several plants were seen in the vicinity. As per Dasanayaka M.D. & Clayton W.D. two varieties of this herb occurs in Sri Lanka. Variety paniculata grows in semi-shade in waste places by roadsides in the moist and dry lowlands and moist mid country, while endemic variety glandulosa is found in sub-montane forests. Flowering from January to April. Whole plant medicinal. 

References:

• Dasanayaka M.D. & Clayton W.D., 1998, A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon, Volume XII
• The National Red List 2012 of Sri Lanka; Conservation Status of the Fauna and Flora. Weerakoon, D.K. & S. Wijesundara Eds.,Ministry of Environment, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 99-113 pp
• Jayasinghe H.D., 2015 Notes on observations of some threatened flowering plants of Sri Lanka including two “Extinct” species.Himesh Dilruwan Jayasinghe, NeBIO I An international journal of environment and biodiversity Vol. 6, No. 2, June 2015, 1 - 8

Eriochloa procera

Common native perennial widespread in grasslands, marshes, scrubs, forests, as a weed in cultivation such as coconut plantations and along irrigation canals throughout the island except in the upper montane zone. Often occurs on open, damp or seasonally flooded sites. 

සුදු හඳුන් [Sudu Handun]/Sandal Wood (Santalum album)

Native tree or shrub of India. Introduced to Sri Lanka and cultivated for its commercially valuable aromatic Sandalwood. Also escaped and naturalized in some areas. Sandalwood oil, which is widely used in traditional medicine is also extracted from the woods of this tree. 

Sporobolus coromandelianus

An indigenous erect annual common in open or disturbed sites of the dry and arid lowlands. Also a major component of upper level of 'Damana' grasslands.

හා තණ[Ha Tana] (Setaria flavida [Syn: Paspalidium flavidum])

Common native weed of varies moist situations from lowlands to mid country. 

Indian Bur Grass (Tragus mongolorum [Syn: Tragus roxburghii])

Common native annual or short-lived perennial  occurs in coastal areas of dry and arid zones. Flowering all the year round.

Bank Swallow/ඉවුරු වැහිළිහිණියා/කරපටි ඉවුරුළිහිණියා[Iwuru Waehilihiniya/Karapati Iwurulihiniya] (Riparia riparia)

Rare but regular winter migrant to open areas, often near water of the dry lowlands. Mainly observed in the southern coastal areas. Usually seen on telephone wires/power lines together with Barn Swallows. Sand Martin breeds in northern India and North America.

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>

Corkystem passionflower/Indigo berry (Passiflora suberosa)

Very common slender climber native to tropical America. Introduced and naturalized in forests and forest margins of all climatic zones up to 2000 m elevations. Flowering and fruiting from June to December.

බිම් කරල්හැබ/බිම් කරල්සැබෝ[Bim Karalhaba/Bim Karalsabo]/Cyathula(Cyathula prostrata)

Rather rare indigenous slender herb. A weed of dry grassy places and light shaded areas. 

Eragrostis viscosa

Common native perennial mainly occurs in coastal lowlands of the dry zone, usually on sandy foreshores and saline flats in association of grasslands. Also known to extend to the wet zone up to 500 m elevations along roadsides, as a weed of tea estates and disturbed grounds.

Panicle - Usually 5-11 cm long &1-2 cm wide
Spikelets - 2-3 mm long &1-1.5 mm wide

කවලු[Kavalu] (Setaria parviflora)

An introduced perennial weed common in open grassy areas, roadsides and patana lands from sea level to about 1500 m elevations. It is eaten by cattle. 

පොතු තණ[Potu Thana]/Carpet Grass (Axonopus compressus)

An introduced perennial native to tropical America. Naturalized and occurs in wide range of habitats as a ruderal and weed from sea level to about 1900 m a.s.l., mainly in the wet zone. It is used as a lawn grass.   

බූ දෙනි තණ[Bu Deni Tana]/Bugseed Grass (Alloteropsis cimicina)

Common native grass species of most parts of the wet and dry lowlands up to about 1200 m a.s.l. of mid-hills  It occurs mainly in damp or shady sites in disturbed places, but also in varies other habitats including dry patana lands.  

Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus [Syn: Panicum maximum])

An introduced and naturalized perennial often forming large clumps. Probably native to the Africa. It occurs commonly in open grassy areas, river banks, neglected lawns, roadsides, pastures and plantations from sea level to about 1000 m elevations.

ගුරු තණ[Guru Tana] (Digitaria ciliaris)

An indigenous annual common along roadsides, paddy field borders, ditches and other disturbed sites from lowlands to intermediate elevations. 

Urochloa subquadripara [Syn: Brachiaria subquadripara]

An indigenous perennial common in fallow fields, grassy roadsides, waste places  and along stream banks from sea level to about 1000 m a.s.l. It is a very good pasture grass. 

Eragrostis unioloides

Common native grass species distributed throughout the island from sea level to about 2300 m elevations. 

Sour Grass (Paspalum conjugatum)

Probably a native grass of tropical America. Introduced to Sri Lanka and now a common weed in plantations, lawns, roadsides and other open grassy areas from sea level to about 1100 m elevations. 

Mission Grass/Crab Grass (Setaria parviflora [Syn: Pennisetum polystachion])

Native plant of tropical Africa. Introduced to Sri Lanka as an ornamental grass. Escaped and naturalized along roadsides, cultivated lands, fallow fields, etc. from sea level to about 1100 m a.s.l. It has become an invasive weed of forests and plantations. 

ලෙව්[Lev]/Bareet Grass (Leersia hexandra)

An indigenous grass species common in marshes, ponds and paddy fields throughout the island. Serious weed in paddy fields though used as a fodder for cattle.

බැල තණ/වල්මල් කුරක්කන්[Bela Tana/Walmal Kurakkan]/Goose Grass(Eleusine indica)

Common indigenous annual or short-lived perennial widely distributed in both wet and dry zones up to about 1400 m elevations.  Often a weed of cultivation. Also occurring in tea estates, lawns, gardens, waste areas, roadsides as well as lowland jungles. 

කලඳන/කලමරුවා[Kaladana/Kalamaruwa] (Ipomoea nil)

An introduced ornamental vine native to the America. Escaped and naturalized along roadsides, disturbed areas and scrublands, mostly in the wet zone. But also found near coast in the northern dry zone.

Sacciolepis interrupta

Common native grass species occurs in paddy fields, marshes and shallow lakes from low to medium elevations. It is eaten by cattle. 

බටදැල්ල[Batadhalla] (Isachne globosa)

Common native annual or short-lived perennial grass species grows in marshy habitats, rice fields, stream banks and ditches from sea level to 1800 m a.s.l. Troublesome weed of  paddy fields though use as a fodder for cattle. 

බද මල් තණ[Bada Mal Tana] (Ischaemum muticum)

An indigenous perennial occurs mainly near sea level on beaches, sandy shores and coconut plantations. An endemic variety srilankense is known only from two collections made in a single population from Pallugaturai of Puttalam district.

ගිරා තණ/හීන් මාරතු[Heen Marathu/Gira Thana]/Wild Millet (Echinochloa colonum)

Common native tufted annual widely distributed often in or near water as weed of paddy fields and disturbed grounds from sea level to 1300 m a.s.l. in all three climatic zones. The grass including seed is readily eaten by cattle. The grain is used as food in India by poorer classes and in Myanmar in times of scarcity. 

දිය පාසි[Diya Pasi]/Yellow Bladderwort (Utricularia aurea)

An indigenous aquatic herb common in the tanks, ditches, pools and swamps at low altitudes, mainly in the dry regions. Flowering from August to December (Probably throughout the year)

කෙකටිය [Kekatiya](Aponogeton crispus)

An indigenous aquatic herb with submerged and floating leaves occurs in lakes, ponds and tanks from sea level to about 1300 m a.s.l, mainly in the northern and western part of the country down to Panadura. Flowering throughout the year. 

නාරිලතා [Narilatha] (Habenaria crinifera)

Rather rare indigenous terrestrial herb grows in the shade of trees in dry mixed evergreen forests and mid-country jungles up to 915 m a.s.l.