Flora of Bangladesh

Pakur (ficus infectoria, family: moraceae) is a large and beautiful tree from Fig family with spreading crown. The height and the shape of the tree is very much like its relatives-- Ashoth and Bot. Bark is gray and smooth. Wood is also gray-colored. The large tree is an epiphytic one. The deciduous tree with aerial prop roots is grown on the roadside areas, in parks and the premises of temple and by village huts as shadow tree.

Leaves are dark green, entire, thin, ovate-oblong or slightly heart-shaped, 8-10 cm long and 5-7 cm wide, almost like the leaves of Ashoth, but have not any elongated tail-like part at the tip and also not broad and long than that; petioles 5-7 cm long. The leaves and young shoots contain milky latex. 

Flowers remain inside fruit like all other figs in this family. Fruits called figs grow in cluster on branches. Figs are round. At the end of rainy season, the fruit becomes ripe. 

Needless to say, the fruits are very favorite food to birds. The seeds spread on o…

Sultanchapa, Punnag or Alexandrian laurel ball tree (calophyllum inophyllum, family: clusiaceae) is a medium-sized evergreen tree with profuse branches, attaining a height of about 12 m. The good-looking plant is seen in the coastal areas and Sundarban in Bangladesh. Its common English name is Alexandrian laurel ball tree.

Leaves are smooth, shiny, leathery, dark green, 8-16 cm long, 6-10 cm wide, elliptic, tip rounded or obcordate (cordate at the tip); veins parallel, numerous, hardly visible. 

Flowers are white, showy, fragrant, borne on axillary raceme (10-15 cm long), with many yellow stamens at centre.

 It blooms in the rainy season.  

The fruit is a drupe, round-shaped, 3-4 cm in diameter, yellow when ripe. 

Propagation of the slow growing plant is caused by seeds and cuttings. It is grown in parks and gardens as an ornamental plant. 

Different parts of he plant are used in tumour, arthritis and heart disease. It is depurative and purifies blood.

The tree is found in East Africa …

Relandi or Cinderella weed (synedrella nodiflora, family: compositae) is an annual erect herb about 1 m in height with dichotomous branching. The entire plant is hairy. The plant grows everywhere, especially in damp fallow land in Bangladesh as weed. 

Leaves are hairy, simple, green, petioled, opposite, ovate-lanceolate or elliptical-ovate, 6-12 cm long and 4-5 cm wide, serrate, veins 3 running from bottom to apex. The upper leaves are smaller.

Flowers are small, sessile, oblong, bright yellow, stalkless, borne on lateral or terminal head  inflorescence.

The plant is propagated by seeds.

The fruits of Cinderella.

The people of Chittagong consume its leaves as vegetables. Its original home is tropical America .

Cha or Tea (camellia sinensis, family: theaceae)is a one of the most cash crops in Bangladesh. It is a bushy shrub or small tree with profuse branches. A kind of energetic and tasty drink is prepared from its young leaves and it is one of the most popular hot drinks of the world. 

In its natural habitat it can get a height of 3-4 m. For the purpose of collection of young leaves it is kept at a height of 1-2 meters by pruning. East Asia is the original home of the plant. The drink is so popular that nowadays it is cultivated throughout the tropical or subtropical world.

Leaves are dark green, 3-14 cm long, pale beneath, leathery, ovate, edge serrated. 

Flowers are whitish, sweet-scented. Petals 4 and arranged in several layers, cluster of yellow-colored stamens in the middle of flower. Flower blooms in late autumn (November-December).


The fruit is almost round. Propagation of the plant is caused by cutting and seed.

Its a long-lived plant. According to a source, the young leaves were c…

Allugash (mantisia radicalis, family: scitamineae) is a perennial rhizomatous herb. Its aerial stem becomes about 60 cm long.  It is a rock plant, occasionally found in Chittagong, Rangamati and Sylhet of the country. It is found abundantly in the Lawachhora forest in Moulvibazar. 

Leaves are ovate-oblong, 10-12 cm long and 3-5 cm wide, apex acuminate. 

Flowers are yellow, borne on 20-45 cm long inflorescence. There are three bluish violet long glabrous sheaths. Calyx is divided into three parts. Corolla 2 cm long, upper part divided into three parts. Stigma has wings. Stamen is bluish-violet, 2.2 cm long. 

Fruit is white or red, smooth, hexagonal, 10-13 mm long and 8-12 mm wide. 

The plant is propagated by the division of rhizome. It is used in cough, asthma and rheumatic fever.

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…