15. Mee

Common Name:   Mousey Mi

Botanical Name:   Madhuca longifolia

Family:   Sapotaceae

Type of the plant:   A Large tree

Description:  Rough, greyish yellow bark that peels into rectangular strips and exudes slow -flowing white latex when damaged. The young flash is reddish brown, while old leaves are seen in at the terminal ends, 3-15 cm long and 1.5- 4 cm broad, oblong in  sha with a tapered base and apex. The flowers are fleshy, pale yellow in color, about 1-2 cm , with a central protrudes like a filament over the petals. The flowers are borne solitary , but appear in groups, seem to droop due to the long stalks. The fruit is yellow ovoid in shape with small curved beak.

Growing Area:  Wet zone, intermediate zone, mainly such as near to water ways.

Medicinal Properties:  Mee oil is good for strengthen the nerves and to relieve conditions such as constipation. Mee oil use to treat  rashes on the skin. Seeds use in the treatment of skin diseases, headache.

 

14. Dothalu, Ran Dothalu

Botanical Name:   Loxocaccous rupicolo

Family:   Arecaceae

Type of the plant:   A tall tree

Description:   Species of palm tree. Stem up to 12 m tall and 12 cm in diameter. Leaves each up to 250cm long. Leaves that are a stunning bluish marron when young. Mature leaves get green in color. Stem is brown color. Fruits are marble size round seeds and red color.

Growing Area:   South- Western rainforests

Medicinal Properties:   useful part is fruit

·As this plant is protected plant species under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, any activity that damages the plant , including cutting flowers and saving plants, is a punishable offense according to that act.

13. Iriweriya

Botanical Name:   Plentranthus hadiensis

Family:   Lamiacea

Type of the plant:   A small tree

Description:   Grows up to 1 m. It has semi fertile stems when mature. The leaves of the plant are arranged alternative on the stem of the plant. Leaves are 5.3- 6 cm long and they have hairy for rough texture. An oval shape is sharply rounded and pointed. Petioles are 2.5- 3 cm long. The flowers of the plant are light blue ( occasionally white). Ten flowers in terminal racemes. Stem is bluntly quadrangle and hairy.

Growing Area:   in any area

Medicinal Properties:  Decoction of the aerial parts is taken for diarrhoea and vomiting. Paste prepared by root, stems, leaves and flowers n lukewarm water is applied just after Tiger spider bites. Possess aromatic, astringent, stomachic, cholagogue, diuretic and diaphoretic properties. Acts as an antidote for Tarantula bites. Used to treat congestion of liver, fever, dysentery and thirst.

12. Sudu Idda or Wal Idda

 

Common Name:   Artic Snow, Milky Way,  Snowflake

Botanical Name:   Wrightia antidysenteria 

Family:   Apocyncae

Type of the plant:   Small tree

Growing Area:    in any area 

Description:   A slender,  Grows up to 0.7-2m . Petiole is 0.1-0.6cm. Leave blade 1-4 cm wide. Leaves  are Green and oval and Young leaves are light green. The tips of the leaves are pointed. Leaves turn yellow before shedding. The stem is strong and the branches are not so strong. White spots can be seen in some places on the stem. Flowers are poor, short-penduncled , monochasialy and white. Tube is 1.7-2.8cm long. Mevocarps 9-15 cm long.

Medicinal Properties:   Traditionally, Flowers and roots  are taken for the treatment of Russell's Viper bites. Infusion of leaves cures tonsillitis, bronchial diseases and uveitis.

11. Girithilla ( Elephant creeper)

Botanical name:   Argyreia populifolia

Family:   Convolvulaceae

Type of the plant:   A vine

Description:   A vine grows  around a supporting plant. The dark green leaves grow up to 7-15cm. The  funnel shaped flowers  are purple in color. Fruits are green .Yellow-orange when ripe. The young leaves are eaten as pulp.

Growing Area:   In any area

Medicinal Properties:   Traditionally, the leaves ,roots, and  milk of the vine are used for loss of appetite, lack of appetite, rhematism, gout, heart disease, cough, asthma,diabetes, dog bites, and gum wounds.

10. Kakuna

Botanical Name:   Canarium zeylanicum

Family:   Burseraceae

Type of the plant:   Tree

Description:   Grow up to 25-30 m in height. Leaves are  10- 12 cm. Leaves are green color.The seed are Large,oval and can be eaten.  Fruit and flowers  can be seen April to September. Fruit are purple black color.

Growing Area:   Rain forest

Medicinal Properties:    Medicinally, the bark of the tree is astringent and antiseptic. A decoction of it is used as a gargle for bleeding and spongy gums.

9. Nil Manel ( Blue water Lily)

 

Botanical name:   Nymphaea nouchli

Family:   Nymphaeaceae

Type of the plant:   A flower plant

Description:   The leaves are round and green on top , darker underside.The floating leaves have undulating edges that give them a crenelated appearance. their size is about 20-23 cm and their spread is up to 1.5m from the rhizome. The flower has four or five sepals and 13-15 petals that have an angular appearance, marking the flower look star shaped from above.

Growing Area:   Lakes, ponds, and marshlands throughout the low country

Medicinal Properties:   Roasted tubers are taken for diseases in the urinary tract and the digestive system. Acts  as an emollient and a diuretic. Traditionally , believed it has possess mild sedative properties. Aiding in relaxation and stress relief , and promoting mood enhancement and restful sleep. Additionally, they have analgesic effects, providing relief from mild pain. Sometime considered an aphrodisiac, enhancing libido and sexual pleasure. Rich in antioxidants, may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation and also offering digestive support.

8. Keena

 

Botanical name:   Calophyllum walkeri

Family:   Calophyllaceae

Conservation Status:   Vulnerable 

Type of the plant:   A tree

Description:   Up to 30 m in high. Tree has mush branches. Bark is a greyish -brown with irregular cracks. Branches are rather thick and quadrangular. Young leaves flushes are copper red. Mature leaves are rounded in shape with a tapering base and slightly pointed tip.  Leaves are 1.5-6 cm long and 2-5 cm broad. Mid and lateral veins can't be seen above, prominent beneath. Inflorescence with pinkish white. Flowers are fragrant, each about 2.5 cm and borne on terminal parts of the twigs covering the whole crown of tree. Fruits erected upward on twigs and pale yellow in color with brown spots. Fruits are globular and about 3 cm in diameter.

Growing Area:   Forest canopy species in higher parts of the mountain zone,above 1800m

Medicinal Properties:    Traditionally, Bark is used to treat pacifies piththa dosha, Cures ulcers, snake bites and eye diseases.

7. Vesak Orchid

 

Botanical name:   Dendrobium maccarthiae

Family:   Dendrobium

Type of the plant:   A Flower plant

Description:   There are many flowers in May.Fewer visible in February,March,June, August ,September. Flower base becomes lager and more colorful The size of a flower is about 8-8.5cm. Hora,Rubber,Vanaidala and Batadomba are supporting Trees. Since the formation of pods is low, the spread is minimal. The height of the grown plant is 2-3 feet. A large number of roots hug the supporting tree. Leaves arise from nodes at the end of the stem.

Growing Area:   Limited areas of wet zone ; Kaluthara, Rathnapura,Kegalle. In supporting plants along streams.

As this plant is protected plant species under The Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, any activity that damage the plant, including cutting flowers and saving plants, is a punishable offense according to that act.

6. Wal Kaduru, Kukul Kaduru or Wasa Kaduru

 

Botanical Name:   Alyxia ceylanica

 

Family:    Apocynaceae

 

Type of the plant:   A vine

Description:    A slender, glabrous vine. Leaves usually in whorls of three at the branching, otherwise opposite,ovate or broadly lanceolate, leaf-blade 4-7 cm long and 2-3.5cm wide, widest in or below the middle, acute at the base, caudate-acuminate, but obtuse at the apex.Reticulate venation more clearly elevated on upper than under surface.Metacarpus 1.2-1.8cm long when one-seeded 1-1.2cm long when moniliform,glabrous,bright red when ripe.

 

Growing Area:    Low-country rain forest

 

Medicinal Properties:    Milky juice of young parts is applied on the foot to soften the tissues before removing thorns

5. Hora, Sarala or Kiripalu

 

Botanical Name:    Dipterocarpus zeylanicus

Family:    Dipterocarpaceae

Conservation Status:   Endangered 

Type of the plant:   A tree

Description:   A large tree that grows up to 40- 45 m tall and 4-6 m in circumference. The bark is light pinkish brown or light yellowish brown and can be seen white spots. The  heartwood is light pinkish to dark reddish brown. Straight columnar with branches at a very high level. Leaves are fairly large, elliptic to ovate in shape with a blunt base and apex.  Leaves are 10-25 cm long and 8-14 cm wide. Younger leaves appear pale brown and turn green when mature. The sharp-edged leaves are covered with silver hairy. The inflorescence looks like a cluster of white -pink flowers. Flowers bloom in April and seed have two wings to spread from wind and wings  are reddish in young. When  the seeds leave out turned to brown color.

Growing Area:    Sinharaja rain forest , Ratnapura, Kaluthara, Galle and Mathara

Medicinal Properties:   Decoration of the boiled heartwood is taken as an expectorant.

Dried gum  dissolved in lime juice is taken to control pharyngitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis , pneumonia and also acts as a diaphoretic

 Triterpenes: Asiatic acid, ursolic acid and its derivatives from resin.

4. DiyaPara

 

Botanical name:   Dillenia triquetra 

Family:    Dilleniaceae 

Type of the plant:     A tree

Description:    Grows upto 20 m. Stems are greyish-brown, slender and smooth , marked with leaf scars. Leaves thick and dark green, 6-30 cm long and 4- 19 cm . Broad, blunt-tripped elliptic in shape. Petioles of young leaves with a pair of white green oblongs. Upper side leaves fall. Early turning brown. Mature leaf show channeled peduncle. Flowers in terminal clusters with green buds. Bloom into white flowers. Fruits are green, small and spherical in shape.

Growing Area:    Along rivers and water tributaries of lowland forests

3. GodaPara

Botanical Name:   Dillenia retusa

Family:   Dilleniaceae

Type of the plant:   A large tree 

Description:     Grows up to 20 m. Branches are strong and the smooth stem is gray- brown in color. The leaves are rather large , ovate to curved at the apex. Mature leaves are green. 8-21cm long and 5cm wide. Young leaves are light colored. Flowers are solitary white with 5 large petals. With a bright yellow touch towards the middle and star shape stigma in the center. Flower wide about 6-8 cm. Fruit covered with sepals. Greenish. Rose red near the stem. The fruit show firmness. Turning orange when rip.

Growing Area:   Lowland rainforests

Medicinal Properties:   Mucilaginous sap of the fruit is applied to treat fractures, dislocations, and skin boils. Fruit pulp is used to cleanse the scalp for healthy hair. Pleasantly crisp, sweet and juicy this popular apple feature a beautiful bright green sikin with  a pale red hue uses to fever, nervous system disorders, oral diseases, anorexia, exclusive thirstyl, dysentery,  coughs , burning sensations.

2. Heen Bovitia

 

Botanical Name:   Osbeekia octandra 

Family:    Melastomaceae
 
Type of the plant:   A bush
 
Description:    Grow to a height of about 2m. Stem is covered with trichomes. The leaves length are about 5 cm. The surface is oval and upper surface is dark green and lower surface is light green. The leaf margin is smooth. There are three main veins on the leaf surface and the central one is main. Flower buds can be seen end of the branches. Flowers are purple. In the center of the flower, the pollen grains are yellow. The petals are smooth and fleshy. Each flower has five petals.
 
Growing Area:   In any area.

Medicinal Properties:   All parts like leaves, barks, roots are used for medicine. Heen Bovitia porridge without salt is good for jaundice. Porridge made from chopped leaves removes excess heat from the body. Cancer resistant. This contains different photochemical that have great importance in traditional therapeutic system and wildly used to treat hepatitis and liver disorders.

1. Ceylon Breadfruit (wal-del, kela-del, hingala-del, bedi-del)

 

Botanical Name:   Artocarpus nobilis
 
Family:   Moraceae
 
Type of the plant:   A tree
 
Description:   The height is only 25m. The grey-brown exudes a white sap when wounded. The leaf bud is covered with an elongated white nail. The leaves are hairy on the buds. Mature tree leaves have a broad oval base and a pointed apex. Margin slightly curved, 14- 32cm long and 8- 23cm wide. Inflorescence is fleshy, erect, stalk-like leaves arising at the nodes. The seeds can eat.

Growing Area:   Wet zone in Sri Lanka. March of the year flowers are blooming.Fruits can be harvested during May- July. The seed is making the propagation.
 
Medicinal Properties:   The nutrients here can be seen as a very effective energy food mentioned as Carbohydrates, Protein, Fat, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, Carotene, Yamin, Riboflavin,Niacin, vitamin C.
This is an asthma, worms cure. Especially taking fried seed foods can help improve men's sexual strength. Oil sprinkled from seed can help control air disease, cure visara nuts and grains. Plant's milk is used to cure gulma and worms.