Mudilla

Lecythidaceae

Barringtonia acutangula 

 Freshwater Mangrove  E

Mudilla S

Kadappai  T

Barringtonia is an evergreen tree of moderate size, Red flowers are produced on pendulous racemes about 20cm long.. This species grows on the banks of freshwater rivers, the edges of freshwater swamps and lagoons

Aratta

Zingiberaceae

Alpinia calcarata

Aratta  S

Snap Ginger  E

Native to India, leaves dull dark green, lighter undersides. White with yellow and red variegated fragrant flowers resembling snapdragons.

 

Dutusatutu

Scrophulariaceae

Centranthera indica 

Dutusatutu      S

Undir kani is an erect herb, growing up to 10-50 cm high. The stem is stout, bristled and erect. Linear, stalk-less leaves, 1-3 cm long, flowers bloom in the leaf axils in September. The rose colored flowers are funnel shaped, 2 cm long. 

Wel Tibbatu

Solanaceae

Solanum trilobatum
Wal tibbatu  S
Purple Fruited Pea Eggplant,  E
Tuduvalai      T
Purple Fruited Pea Eggplant is a thorny creeper with bluish violet flower, more commonly available in Southern India has been used traditionally in Siddha system of medicines to treat various diseases.

Wal eguru

Zingiberaceae

.Zingiber zerumbet
Wal iguru   S
Bitter ginger   Shampoo ginger  E
Shampoo ginger is a tall upright ginger growing up to 9' tall with long, narrow leaves.
It has cone shaped bracts.

Divi kaduru

APOCYNACEAE
 Pagiantha dichotoma
Divi-kaduru (S);
 Nanthia vattai (T
Moderate size tree found in wet zone. Roots are poisonous Fruit   glabrous, orange when ripe. Seeds with a coat of crimson pulp

Cincona

Rubiaceae

Cinchona    E

Four species of Cinchona were cultivated for many years, primarily in Java and also in India and Srilanka  Their bark was processed to obtain quinine, which is used in the treatment of malaria and for fever and pain, and quinidine

Sadikka

Myristicaceae

Myristica fragrans

Nutmeg    E

Sadikka   S

The nutmeg tree is a large evergreen native to the Moluccas (the Spice Islands) and is now cultivated in the West Fruit used as a spice is also the seed,

Nawa

Sterculiaceae

Sterculia villosa  

Hairy Sterculia   E

Nawa                   S

Kottaithanuku     T

Hairy Sterculia is a medium sized, native to India Flowers are unisexual, Many-seeded, red when ripe. Seeds oblong, smooth, black. Flowering: December-March.

Baludan

Myrsinaceae

Ardisia humilis

Shoebutton Ardisia   E

Balu dan                  S

Manipudbam               T

Shoebutton Ardisia is a large, evergreen shurb, growing up to 1.5-4 m tall .Flowers are 1.5-2 cm across, pink or pinkish- white, pink flowers. Flowering: March-August.

Kirihanda

Amaranthaceae

Celosia argentea

Silver Cockscomb    E

Kirihanda                S

Silver cockscombs are erect, branching plants with oval or lance-shaped, strongly veined leaves 2-6 in long and hundreds of tiny flowers packed in dense spikes of silver-white

Kadupahara

Asteraceae

Emilia sonchifolia 

Purple Sow Thistle, Cupid's shaving-brush    E

Kadupahara                                               S

Muyalccevi                                T

Purple Sow Thistle is an annual herb with a branched taproot. Stems are weak, erect or often branched 

Malita

Lythraceae

Woodfordia fruticosa

Fire Flame Bush, Red Bell Bush  E

Malitta                                           S

Velakkai                                        T

Fire Flame Bush is a spreading, leafy shrub, small in size but very conspicuous on dry, rocky hillsides from December to May, Medicinal uses: This is a drug largely used in native medicine. This enters into the composition of many preparations, decoctions, churnas and ghritas for various diseases, but chiefly dysentery and diarrhoea by reason of its being highly astringent.

Balunakuta

Verbenaceae

Stachytarpheta indica 

Indian Snakeweed, Blue snakeweed  E

Balunakuta                                 S

Seemai nayuruvi                       T

Indian Snakeweed is a terrestrial, annual or perennial, erect subshrub, up to 2 m tall. Taproot white or brown. Stem quadrangular, solid, glabrous or hairy. Stipules absent. Leaves simple,. Stalkless blue flowers appear in a slender terminal spike, petals 5, blue, with white throat.

Maha bovitiya

Melastomataceae

Melastoma malabathricum

Malabar Melastome  E

Maha bovitiya           S

Malabar Melastome is an evergreen shrub, up to 2 m tall. Fruit a berry-like capsule with numerous seeds coated with red, sweet astringent pulp.

Beht Anoda

Malvaceae

Abutilon heterotrichum

Hairy Indian Mallow,     E

Vadattuti      T

Behet Anoda         S

Hairy Indian Mallow is an perennial herb or undershrub, 0.5-2 m tall. Stem, leaf-stalks and flower-stalks are sticky velvety and hairy. Leaves are carried on 3-15 cm long stalks.. Flowers are 3-3.5 cm across, orange-yellow. Petals are 1.5 cm long and 1 cm broad, densely hairy,

Sudu hadun

Santalaceae

Santalum album

Sandalwood, Indian sandalwood,  E

Suduhadun        S

Chandanam    T

Sandalwood is an evergreen tree, growing up to 4-9 m tall. The trees have a long life, and may live up to one hundred years of age.  The plant parasitises the roots of other tree species, but without major detriment to its hosts. medicine, sandalwood oil is considered an excellent sedating agent.

Attikka

Moraceae

Ficus racemosa 

Cluster fig  E

Attikka       S

Atti            T

Goolar is an attractive fig tree witha crooked trumk and a spreading crown.  Furry figs in short clusters, which grow directly out of the trunk of the tree. Those looking for the flower of goolar should know that the fig is actually a compartment carrying hundreds of flowers.

Kamaranka

Oxalidaceae

Averrhoa carambola

Carambola, Star fruit  E

Kamaranka            S

Tamarattai         T

A slow growing small tropical tree, no more than 25 feet tall, originally from Southeast Asia (Indonesia) The green leaflets are sensitive to light and fold inward at night. It has small, pink colored flowers with a dark-red heart. year-round. When sliced in cross section a perfect star is formed. Carambola is eaten fresh or in fruit salads.

Kaha Adanahiriya

Fabaceae

Crotalaria retusa 

Rattleweed, shak-shak, Rattlebox, wedge-leaf    E

 Kaha Adanahiriya     S

Kilukiluppai  T

Rattle weed is an annual herb with erect stem, growing up to 1.3 m tall. Stems are ridged, velvety with short appressed hairs. Leaves are simple, argins hairy. Pods are greenish to start with, dark brown to black at maturity, 3-4 cm long, hairless.

Suriyakantha

Asteraceae

Helianthus argophyllus  

Silverleaf Sunflower  E

Suriya kantha          S

Silver leaf Sunflower is a coarse annual herb 1.5-2 m tall. Stems are densely white-velvety. Leaves are ovate to ovate-lance shaped. Silverleaf Sunflower is native to North America, cultivated as a garden plant in India.

Sudupuruk

Acanthaceae

Justicia betonica

Squirrel's tail, White shrimp plant  E

Sudu puruk  S

Velimungil  T

Squirrel tail is a graceful and elegant plant,. A beautiful unusual shrimp plant, very rare. Very floriferous plant producing in abundance erect white bracts with a green netting pattern. It’s flowers start out white then turn to pink with age, giving a beautiful contrast. A free branching upright shrub, producing a very attractive tropical inflorescence

Niyagala

Liliaceae

Gloriosa superba 

Glory Lily, Gloriosa lily   E

Niyagala        S

Kallappai kilangu   T

 Found in all part of the island Glory Lily is a most unusual and splendid flower, Tubers are poisonous.

Nil katarolu

Fabaceae

Clitoria ternatea

Butterfly Pea   E

Nil Katarolu     S

Kannikkodi   T

This wonderful twining plant generously bears quite large flowers which are a beautiful shade of vivid cobalt blue with a white throat. The flowers are presented upside down - the "keel" petal appears on the top rather than the underside. A native of subtropical America and Asia, the butterfly pea is beautiful.

Minimal

Apocynaceae

Catharanthus roseus 

Periwinkle, Vinca  E

Minimal       S

. Closely planted it can have an impressive effect with its various colours. This is one flower which can be found all part of the island. Lots of cultivars have been developed with various colors, from red to white.

Nika

Verbenaceae

Vitex negundo 

Chaste Tree   E

Nika             S

Nocchi         T

Chaste tree can be described as a cross between a shrub and a tree with a single woody stem (trunk). It can grow up to five meters tall., Violet flowers on new growth from June to September. Flowers are the smallest of the commonly grown Vitex species. The leaves are used as a mosquito repellent

Katu karadu

Acanthaceae

Barleria lupulina 

Hophead, Philippine Violet  E

Ranwan katukaradu   S

Hophead is a popular medicinal plant distributed in many part of the island. Shrubbery plant with single dark green leaves, red-brown branches, and flowers that bloom in upright spikes. It is an erect shrub with smooth, hairless stems and leaves. wide. Flowers occur in a terminal spike with overlapping bracts which are broadly ovate corolla tube

Yakkapu

Sterculiaceae

Abroma angusta

Yakkapu   S

Devil's Cotton, Cotton Abroma E

Devil's Cotton is a large spreading shrub, or a small tree, with fibrous bark and irritant hairs. It grows up to 2.5 m tall with hairy branches. Flowering: June-September.

Napiritta

Malvaceae

Furcaria surattensis

Kashlikirai, kattuppuliccai   T

Napiritta     S

Bush Sorrel,    E

Bush Sorrel is a weak-stemmed, prostrate or climbing plant covered with soft hairs and scattered prickles... Bush Sorrel is found throughout the tropical world. Its leaves are commonly used as pot-herb in many parts of Africa and Asia. Flowering: September-March.

Ranawara

Caesalpiniaceae

Cassia auriculata

Matara tea T

Avaram   T

Ranawara   S

Tanner's Cassia is a branched shrub, growing up to 1-1.5 m high. It has a smooth reddish brown bark.  Flowers yellow

Wara

Asclepiadaceae

Calotropis gigantean

Crown Flower  E

Wara    S

Erukku    T

This large shrub, which looks like a small tree, sports clusters of waxy flowers that are either white or lavender in are used. The fruit is a follicle and when dry, seed dispersal is by wind. The seeds with a parachute of hairs, is a delight for small children, who like to blow it and watch it float in the air. This plant plays host to a variety of insects and butterflies.

Tolabo

Amaryllidaceae

Crinum asiaticum

Grand crinum lily  E

Tolabo            S

Visamumgil      T

This crinum lily makes an imposing presence in the garden. Dark green strap-like leaves may be more than 3 feet long by 4 inches wide. Flowers are shaped like tubes that flare open into a crown of narrow petals. The flowers are white and are arranged in clusters atop thick, succulent stems

Madatiya

Mimosaceae

Adenanthera pavonina

Red Sandalwood,   E

Madatiya                S

Red Sandalwood is a timber tree. This plant is found in the wet zone in srilanka . flower grows in dense drooping rat-tail flower heads, almost like cat-tail flower-heads. Fruits are curved, hanging, green pods that turn brown, coil up and split open as they ripen to reveal small bright red seeds. and rosaries... Children love the hard red seeds and few can resist collecting the brightly coloured seeds usually littered under the tree.

Kalu Attana

Solanaceae

Datura metel

Horn of Plenty, Devil's Trumpet  E

Kalu attana         S

A unique cousin of the common Datura. The flowers are held upright. They are semi-double and a beautiful shade of purple-blue. Plants do best in full sunlight. They grow to a height of around one meter.

Na

Clusiaceae

Mesua ferrea

Ceylon ironwood E

Na                          S

Tadinangu           T

A handsome evergreen tree often planted as an ornamental for its fragrant white flowers that yield a perfume; source of very heavy hardwood medium-sized evergreen tree up to 13 m tall, It is the National tree of Sri Lanka.

Komarika

Asphodelaceae

Aloe vera

Burn plant  E

Komarika   S

Kathalai      T

Aloe, a popular houseplant, has a long history as a multipurpose folk remedy. Commonly known as Aloe vera, the plant can be snapped off and placed on cuts and burns for immediate relief. Aloe vera is a clump forming succulent whose fleshy gray-green leaves are arranged in a vase shaped rosette atop a very short stem. The leaves are up to 18 in long and 2 in wide

Kubuk

Combretaceae

Terminalia arjuna

Arjun     E

Kubuk    S

Marutu    T

Arjuna is a large, evergreen tree, with a spreading crown and drooping branches. Grows up to 25 m height, and the bark is grey and smooth.. Flowers small, white, and occur on long hanging racemes. Fruit is 2.3-3.5 cm long, fibrous woody Flowering time of the tree is April-July,

Aralu

Combretaceae

Terminalia chebula

Myrobalan  E

Aralu                           S  

Chebulic Myrobalan can reach heights of 20 meters. This tree yields smallish, ribbed and nut-like fruits which are picked up when still green and then pickled, boiled with a little added sugar in their own syrup or used in preserves or concotions. The seed of the fruit, which has an elliptical shape, is an abrasive pit enveloped by a fleshy and firm pulp.

Koboneela

Caesalpiniaceae

Bauhinia purpurea 

Butterfly tree  E

Koboneela       S

Nilattiruvatti    T

These flowers appear on the trees from September through November and are a beautiful sight to see, creating a vivid splash of color in the landscape. Curiously, the flower color varies quite a lot. There are some trees which have white flowers with only some streaks of purple in them

Ehala

Caesalpiniaceae

Cassia fistula

Ehala     S

Golden shower tree, Indian Laburnum  E

Konrai      T

A tropical ornamental tree with a trunk consisting of hard reddish wood, growing up to 40 feet tall. The wood is hard and heavy; it is used for cabinet, These flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. The fruits are dark-brown cylindrical pods, also 2' long,

Asoka

Caesalpiniaceae

Saraca indica

Asoka    S

Sita Ashok, Sorrowless tree   E

Asogam      T

This is an erect tree, small and evergreen, with a smooth, grey-brown bark. The crown is compact and shapely. Flowers are usually to be seen throughout the year, but it is in January and February that the profusion of orange and scarlet clusters turns the tree into an object of startling beauty.

Nelli

Euphorbiaceae

Phyllanthus embelica

Beheth nelli   S

Nelli      T

Amla, Indian gooseberry   E

A medium to large sized tree up to about 10 m in height It grows in moist part of srilanka below 1200 m altitude. The taste of Amla is sour, bitter and astringent, and is quite fibrous.

Delum

Punicaceae

Punica granatum

Delun :   S

Pomegranate :  E

Madalankai  :  T

The pomegranate is a shrub, usually with multiple stems, Pomegranate is cultivated in home garden in many part of Sri lanka, Mostly  found in dry zone  A tasty drink is made by fruit