Flora of Bangladesh

Koronja or Koroch (pongamia pinnata, family: fabaceae) is a moderate-sized deciduous tree, attaining a height of 10-12 m, with spreading branches. Bark is soft and grey, covered with tubercles. It is suitable for roadside plantation and for parks and gardens. 

The indigenous tree is found in the forests of Chittagong & Chittagong Hill Tracts, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet & Khulna. The water-loving tree is also found in lowlands of the country. During the rainy season, the tree is seen standing in the water at those places like Hijol (Indian oak, barringtonia acutangula). English name of the plant is Indian Beech Tree.

Leaves are compound, 15-25 cm long, leaflets 5-7, shinny, dark green, opposite, ovate or elliptical, 10-15 cm long, 6-8 cm wide. 


The beautiful, reddish new leaves arrive in the month of March. 

Flower is pinkish white or purplish, Green Pea-like, 1.2 cm long on short axillary raceme. The plant produces flower in April-May. 


Fruit is a pod, almost flat, copper-colored, 4-…

Ashphol or Longan tree (dimocarpus longan) is a medium-sized (10-15 m) evergreen tree from Litchi family. Bark is blackish grey. Its fruit is known as Kath-lichu in Bangla, because it has a similarity with litchi.

Leaflets green, 2-5 pairs, elliptical, ovate or lanceolate, acute or obtuse at the end, glabrous above, Veins and midribs are clearly visible, 7-10 cm long and 3-5 cm wide. 

Flowers are small, petals 5, yellowish white as Litchi's flower, soft and round, borne on terminal panicle. Male and hermaphrodite flowers can be seen in the same panicle. Flowers occur in February-Mach. 

Fruit is round, brown and reddish yellow, containing one seed each like Litchi. Fruit-flesh is juicy and almost sweet as Litchi, but not thick as that. Fruits ripen in May-June. 


The plant is propagated by seed and air layering. Fruits are edible and popular among the children of Bangladesh. Original home of the plant is Malay. It is found in hilly areas of Chittagong of the country.

Fruit and its s…

Dhoincha or Prickly sesban (sesbania bispinosa, family: fabaceae) is an erect and fast growing annual shrub with flexible branches. The water friendly plant can get a height of 7 m, but can be seen more than 1 to 2 meters usually. 

Leaves are compound; leaflets 11-45 pairs, deep green, small, 3-4 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide. 

Flowers are showy, spectacular, bright yellow, borne on 15 cm long inflorescence. Sepals 5, petals, 5. Petals are dotted with purplish marks. For this reason, they seem like orchids. It blooms in September-October.

Fruit is a pod, very long, 20-25 cm. Each pod contains numerous seeds. These are brown in color. Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds.

The plant is filled with medicinal properties. The plant is used to increase fertility of soil and destroy insects. The nodule in its roots help to keep nitrogen in the soil firmly. 

Its leaves and seeds are used to feed cattles. Organic fertilizers can be made from the leaves. Stem is used as firewood.

A Dhaincha…

Roktodron or Red verticilla (leonurus sibiricus, family: lamiaceae) is a annual herb from Shetodron family attaining a height of 90-110 cm with upright and quadrangular stem. It is usually found in crop fields in Bangladesh and is treated as weed. The plant is native to Indian subcontinent. 

Other local names: Gumajoma, Jajura, Goma, Dibbopushpi, Shupushpa, Chitropotrika.

Leaves are dark green, opposite, petioled. The leaves of its upper part are simple, lanceolate and linear but in lower parts those are divided into few parts, almost palmate. 

Flowers are tubular, small, pink with violet shade with permanent calyx, clustered on inflorescence verticillaster. Petals are bilipped or bilabiate.

Fruits are four-seeded, 1-1.5 cm long. It is propagated by seeds. 

Though the plant is not recognized as ornamental, but its flowers are very eye-catching indeed. Flowers and fruits are seen throughout the year.

White-colored flowers are also seen in Bangladesh.

Madhobi-lota or Madhabi (hiptage benghalensis, family: malpighiaceae) is a large climbing shrub with woody stem and extensive branches. The perennial leafy climber can climb up to 5 m. In Bangla literary works, the vigorous climber is very famous for its sweet-scented flowers. The deciduous climber is  found in the hilly areas of Bangladesh. Although it is rare in its original habitat, it has become popular to the gardeners of the country recently.

Flower blooms in large bunches in the spring. Blooming period is very shortened, lasts only for 2 weeks. 

Leaves are glossy green, petioled, elliptic, 10-15 cm long, opposite, leathery. 
Flowers are strong scented, white to light yellow, 3 cm long, on axillary panicles, silky outside, pale yellow inside. Sepals 5; petals 5, four of them are equal in length and white in color, the rest one is smaller and its color is yellow. Stamens 10, one is bigger.  

Dry fruits are 3-winged, They fly through these wings in order to increase the population.…

Chandmala or Water snowflake (nymphoides indica, family: menyanthaceae) is a fast growing floating aquatic plant. The root of the plant arises from the clay. This mother-plant expands through the roots that grow from stem-nodes. And by this the floating plant can make its length up to 3 meters. They seem to be a colony from a distance. In the colonies, when they begin to bloom, they look like stars. In Bangla, the plant is called Chandmala or Chondromala (group of stars) for this reason.

Heart-shaped floating leaves are simple, shinny green, wavy-edged, 3-10 cm wide; petioled, almost 4 cm long. Flowers are small, white in color with yellow mark at the centre. Petals are quite exceptional, 5-7, with fringe. Flower blooms in rainy season to late outumn. They are short-lived. They can survive only a day. Fruit is globose with many bright yellow seeds. The propagation of the plant is caused by seeds.

It is found in shallow and waterlogged area, like pond, canal, lake, beel, jheel along wi…

Roshundi-lota or Garlic vine (mansoa alliacea, family: bignoniaceae) is an evergreen extensive and bushy climber with dense foliage. It is recommended as a beautiful ornamental climber in the country. The climber has come from tropical America 

Leaves are opposite, bipinnate or tripinnate. Leaflets are elliptic, 4-8 cm long, leathery, pointed at the end, producing an odour of garlic. The Bangla and English name have got this type of name due to the peculiar smell of leaves. Terminal leaflet is often modified into tendril. 

Flowers are mauve in color, funnel-shaped with five expanded round lobes. Lower parts of the flower (tube) is creamy white. It blooms in large panicles in autumn-spring (Oct-Feb) and a few minor flushes in the summer (April-May) months in Bangladesh. 

The plant is propagated by cuttings. Saplings also grow from the roots. This dazzling flowering climber is called Lota-parul in Bangla due to match with very controversial Parul tree (stereospermum chelonoides). However…