Flora of Bangladesh

Motmotia or Bon pudina (lippia alba, family: verbenaceae) is a perennial multi-branched shrub up to 2 m high. Stem is weak and can be broken easily. It is grown on fallow lands, beside pond, canal and road in Bangladesh. It is scattered in the entire region of South Asia. 


Leaves are strong-scented, light green, lanceolate, about 6-10 cm long and 3-4 cm wide, serrated, opposite. 

Inflorescence is borne at the axil of leaf with light pink flowers. Flowers of the outer edge of inflorescence bloom first, followed by the middle ones. It blooms round the year.

Propagation of the plant is caused by cuttings or division of root stalk. 

Different parts of the plant are used as stomachic, analgesic, diuretic and emollient medicine. Also used in restraint of roundworm.

Gamari or White teak (gmelina arborea, family: verbinaceae) is a fast growing deciduous tall tree with branches attaining a height of 15-35 m. Young shoots are hairy. Bark is whitish and smooth, beautiful. The trunk can be 3-4 m in diameter. It is a suitable tree for rapid forestation. It is liked to the local people for its light but durable timber. The tree is available in Chittagong and Chittagong hill tracts and Sylhet's hilly area.

Leaves are opposite, 23-24 cm long and 15-156 cm wide, broadly ovate-acuminate, light green above, smooth; almost white and hairy beneath. Petiole 6-10 cm long. It sheds leaves during the winter.

Flowers are brownish yellow, scented, sepals 5, petals 5, terminal, bilabiate (2-lipped), 3-3.5 cm long, slightly hairy. Flowers bloom in the middle of spring.

Fruit is a drupe, 3 cm wide, smooth and green when raw, yellow, juicy and smells good when ripe. seeds 1-2. Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds.

Its leaf, fruit and bark have medicinal value…

Amloki or Amla (phyllanthus emblica, family: pyllanthaceae) is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree with branches attaining a height of 6-14 m.The plant is commercially cultivated in Bangladesh as well as Indian subcontinent. Amloki contains more vitamin C than any other fruits in the world except Barbados cherry. 

Common names: Amla, Anola, Indian gooseberry, Emblic myrobalan.

Flowers are very small, yellowish, crowded towards the lower portion of the branchlets. Flower blooms in March-April. 

Leaves are feathery, small and linear. Fruit is globose, light green, slightly transparent. Ripe fruit is yellowish; seed 6, blackish.

Propagation is caused by seeds and by cuttings. Usually 6-7 years old plant starts giving fruits and the fruiting continues for 30-40 years. The fruit tastes not only sour but tastes bitter and sweet too. 

The plant is grown in orchard for its valuable fruits, rich in medicinal substances. Fruit is diuretic, purgative and anti-dandruff. It is used in constipation…

Shiuly or  Night jasmine (nyctanthes arbor-tristis, family: verbenaceae) is one of the most popular and loving plant in Bangladesh. It is a large shrub or small tree with scattered branches, reaching 5-7 m in height. Bark is whitish grey and rough. It is grown in gardens and homestead for its sweet-scented flowers.

Leaves are pale green, rough in both sides, opposite, serrated, ovate, 7-10 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, apex acute, petiole small. 

It's a deciduous plant; many leaves fall in winter and spring. It looks little bit beautiless then, but rest of the time it looks great.


Local names: Shefali, Shefalika.  Other English name: Coral jasmine.
Flowers are showy, white, corolla tube orange, deeply scented, dense cluster at the end of the stalk. Flowers occurs in August-September mainly. They bloom at the night and fall off before sunrise. 

Fruits are flattened, round. Two seeds are found in two different chambers. The plant is easily propagated  by seed.

Leaves are used in fever, r…

Ghghra or Bon okra (xanthium strumarium, family: asteraceae) is an annual upright herb with rough hairs, attaining a height of 150 cm. Stem is black or brown-spotted and short with fewer branches. The plant is found everywhere in Bangladesh. 

Other names: Bichhafol, Lehra khagra, Chhoto khagra, Hagra.
Leaves are hairy in in both parts, opposite, 5-12 cm long, triangular, dentate, almost look like Brinjal leaf; long-petioled. 

Flowers are borne in disc inflorescence, terminally in pairs, whitish. 

Fruits are ovoid, thorny and easily caught by clothes and bodies of animals. Each fruit contains two flattened black-seeds. 

The plant produces flower in spring and fruits in the summer. Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds. It is grown in fallow land, in field and roadside.


It boosts energy, sex potency, breast milk and cures blood dysentery, gonorrhea and rheumatism. 

Roots taste bitter. Village doctors mention that, these can be used in goiter and cancer. It leaves are used as veget…

Shal or Sal (shorea robusta, family: dipterocarpaceae) is a large and deciduous robust tree with straight trunk and few branches at the top, usually 20-40 m high. Wood is reddish brown. The tree is found in Gazipur, Tangail, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Rongpur and Comilla in Bangladesh.

Leaves are simple, alternate, glossy green, leathery, ovate-oblong with pointed apex, base rounded or cordate, 15-20 cm and 5-10 cm wide; petioles 2 cm. long.


Flowers are very small, petals 5, yellowish orange, soft and hairy, borne on large panicle. Flowers blooms in March-April.


Fruit is brown-colored nut with 5 unequal linear wings, 5-7 cm long. propagated by fresh seeds and also from newly grown seedlings those grown from the base of the tree. For this reason, Shal is also called Gojari.


Shal is a commercial timber tree in Bangladesh. Its timber is robust and used as pole, boat, railway sleeper, furniture. Burning leaves produce a kind of aroma. So cigar can be made from its leaves. Fat obtained f…

Boro cahdor or Boro chondrika (rauvolfia tetraphylla, family: apocynaceae) is a shrub, attaining a height of 1-2m, with branches. The leaves and its strong roots taste bitter. The plant is poisonous too. It grows in wet or damp places. 

The plant is gradually being extinct from Bangladesh. The good news is, nowadays this traditional medicinal plant is cultivated throughout the medicinal gardens of the country. 'Gondhonakuli' is its Sanskrit name.

Whorled leaves are light green, 6-10 cm long, elliptical. Terminal flowers are very small, pure white, sepals 5, petals 5-lobed, salver-shaped. The plant produces flower in summer. 

The main feature of the plant is its vivid red fruits. Fruit is drupe, round, red when almost ripe but mature fruit is deep purple in color. The branches filled with abundant fruits are almost laid down to ground. Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds and cuttings.

The plant can be used in preventing the scourge of snake, rat, scorpion and spider. Th…