Flora of Bangladesh

Batilota or Climbing aroid ( Pothos scandens , family: Araceae) is a long-stemmed and semi-woody climber with peculiar leaves, cylindric branches, attaining a height of 10-15 m. Actually it is an epiphytic climber. It climbs to the top holding the sheltering plant with the help of roots arising from the internodes of its body. The leafy plant is usually found creeping on trees in the North-eastern region as well as Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. Outside the country, it is found in the tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa. Other names: Hatilota, Sunat. It is a beautiful leafy climber. Although the leaf-blade may look like lobed, it is actually it's petiole! Leaves are light or dark green, shiny, coriaceous, lanceolate, ovate or elliptic with p, 3-8 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide with pointed or rounded apex. The strange-looking petiole is winged and broad, 3-12 cm long, 1-2 cm wide. Spadix is round or ovoid, yellowish, axillary, .5 cm long; spathe tiny, pedunc

Boro dudhia  or Asthma plant ( Euphorbia hirta , family: Euphorbiaceae) is annual prostate or semi-erect herb with spreading branches and taproot, attaining a height of 30-5-0 cm. Stems and branches are soft, slender and hairy. Stem produces milky sap when snapped. It is found on fallow land, in cropfields and beside roads in Bangladesh. The plant is native to tropical America, but has adapted to other tropical regions. Other names:  Boro dudhi, Boro kerui, Ghao-pata (Bang); Garden spurge, Hairy spurge (Eng). Leaves are light green or reddish green, elliptic-lanceolate, 1-1.5 cm long hairy on both sides, edge serrated, apex blunted, opposite.  Flowers are smaill, reddish green on leaf axil. Flowering occurs round the year. Fruit is triangular capsule. Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds.  It is useful in asthma, cough, chronic dysentery, bronchitis, phlegm and pain. The plant is quite eye-catching. As an ornamental plant it can be planted in gardens. Anyone can enhance the be

Orboroi or Star gooseberry ( Phyllanthus acidus , family: Euphorbiaceae) is a small-sized decidous tree with soft branches, attaining a height of  8-10 m. Bark is rough and greu in color. It is found everywhere in Bangladesh as a homestead tree. Its sour fruit is quite popular to children and women. Madagascar and Malaysia are considered to be the original home of the plant.  Other names:  Horboroi, Aalboroi, Noil, Noyel, Royel, Nolta, Leboir, Forfori, (Bang); Malay gooseberry (Eng). Leaves are pinnate, 35-40 cm long, 16-30 leaves in a pinnae. Leaflets are light green, oval-shaped, 7-9 cm long and 3-4 cm wide, alternate.  The flowers are tiny, clustered on spikes, reddish, grow abundantly on branches. Female and male flowers appear separately on the same branch. Flowering occurs at the beginning of spring. Fruits are edible, round, 1-2 cm wide, somewhat quadrangular, green in color, juicy, light yellow when ripe, 1-seeded. It looks a lot like Amloki , a member of its family. The frui

Paniaphul  or  Hopbush  ( Dodonaea viscosa , family: Sapindaceae) is a large shrub or small-sized evergreen tree, attaining a height of 2-8 m. It is usually the size of a shrub. But sometimes it takes the form of a small tree, though it is rare. It usually prefers to grow in sandy soils washed in salt water. It is mainly found in the coastal regions, especially on sandy beaches of South-eastern region of Bangladesh. Its geographical extent is very wide. It is found througout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Other names: Aliar (Bang); Sticky hopbush (Eng). The shape of the leaves vary. These are elliptic-obovate or lanceolate, 4-14 cm long and 2-4 cm wide, entire, alternate, petiolate or sessile, apex rounded or acuminate; sticky and leathery.   Flowers are in widely branched inflorescence (3-4 cm long). These are yellow, bisexual or dioecious (female and male flowers are in separate plant). Fruits are capsule, 1-1.5 cm wide, yellow to orange or red, 2-4-winged, membr

Choto betmara or Choto birmal a ( Calliandra umbrosa , family: Mimosaceae) is a small-sized deciduous tree with narrow and drooping branches, attaining a height of 3 m. It is found at the foot hills and near streams in Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. It is also found in Eastern India, Myanmar, China as well as few countries of Southeast Asia. Leaves are large, elliptic-oblong, glabrous, slighty leathery, 3-14 cm long and 3-5 cm, sessile, apex acute or blunted. Pinnae 2, each has 2 leaves but sometimes a smaller one may be present. Stipules 2, tiny. Flowers are usually in globose head, axillary or on old wood, small, white, with numerous stames like other members of Calliandra genus; filaments white. Female and male flowers look similar. It blooms in the rainy season to autumn. [Pure-shaped (Calliandra-looking) flowers were not found due to rain] Fruit is pod, flattened, dark brown, 8-15 cm long and 2-3 cm wide, dehiscent. Seeds 4. When wood is burned, it gives off