Flora of Bangladesh

Dhundul or Smooth loofah ( Luffa cylindrica , family: Cucurbitaceae) is an annual extensive climber with profuse branches and tendrils. Stem is stout, glabrous and angular. As vegetables, its fruit is one of the most popular one in Bangladesh. The plant is widely cultivated in the country as commercial crops. It is found in South and Southeast Asia and other tropical areas of the world. It is probably originated in South and Southeast Asia. Other names:  Purul, Tipola (Bang); Sponge gourd, Egyptian cucumber, Vietnamese luffa, Vegetable-sponge (Eng). Leaves are multilobed, usually 5-7, glabrous or slightly hairy, 14-26 cm long and wide too; base cordate, tip acute or acuminate. Petiole 10-12 cm long.  The plant is monoecious. Flowers are bright yellow, usually 15-20 male flowers in raceme inflorescence, 5-10 cm wide; female flowers solitary, both male and female are long-peduncled.  Fruits are cylindric, smooth and marked with 7-9 straight lines, straight or slightly curved, 20-35 cm l

Shidur kolmi or Scarlet morning glory ( Ipomoea hederifolia , family: Convolvulaceae) is an annual twiner with narrow and weak stem. It is originated in tropical and subtropical America. In Bangladesh, it is naturalised mainly in the wild areas of Chattogram Hiil Tracts.  Other names: Shurjokanti, Lal morning glory (Bang.); Scarlet creeper, Star ipomoea, Ivy-leaved morning glory (Eng).  Leaves are variable. These are thin and glabrous, 3-14 long and 4-10 cm wide, ovate-orbicular, multilobed (usually 3-lobed), cordate at base and acuminate at tip, opposite, long-petioled. Flowers are in terminal or axillary cymes, usually 1-9, scarlet, 3-4 cm long, sepals 5, petals 5, tube narrow; stamens 5, exserted. Flowering occurs in November-March. Fruit is a capsule, globular. The fast-growing twiner is propagated by seeds. The genus name of the vine 'hederifolia' is derrived from it's Ivy-like leaves.  The fruit is a round capsule up to 8 mm in diameter containing a few seeds.  Syn

Agmukhi or Madras pea pumpkin ( Mukia maderaspatana , family: Cucurbitaceae) is an annual much-branched climber with angular shoots and tendrils, attaining a length of 3-4 m. There are spine-looking hairs all over its body. It is found in village thickets and fallow lands scatteredly all over Bangladesh. Sometimes it is found grabbing spiny herbs or shrubs to survive with hostile condition properly. It is also found in some countries of South and Southeast Asia also. Other names:   Bilari, Agamukhi (Bang); Rough bryoni (Eng).   Leaves are variable; mutilobed, usualy 3-5 lobed, can be found ovate and cordate at base, 5-9 cm long, both sides rough, dented irregularly, long-petioled, alternate. Flowers are tiny, 1 cm across, bright yellow, calyx tubular, petals 5, sepals 5, stamens 3. Flowering occurs in August-December. Fruits are hairy too. Green pea-sized fruits are stripped with two sahdes of green or green when raw and vivid red when mature. Flowers and fruits can be seen at a tim

Pani najok or Water mimosa ( Neptunia oleracea ) is a creeping perennial aquatic herb, rooting at the nodes with spongy and slender stems, attaining a length of 2-3 m. The sensitive plant without prickles is found near or in water bodies, ditches, ponds and swamps all over Bangladesh sporadically. There are some doubts about the place of its origin. However, it has spread to both tropics. Other names: Pani lajok, Pani lojuk, Pani lojjaboti (Bang); Sensitive neptunia (Eng). Leaves are sensitive as other members of Mimosa, like Sensitive plant ( Mimosa pudica ). These are pinnately compound, petioled; leaflets 8-36, tiny, opposite.   Flowers are bright yellow, in pedunculated spike inflorescence, consisting of 30-50 flowers. Upper flowers are bisexual and lower flowers sterile. Flowering occurs at the end of rainy season. Fruits are pods, flat, 2-3 cm long, dehiscent; seeds 4-8, obovoid, compressed. It is propagated by seeds and vegetative parts. The plant is cultivated and consumed a

Jhunjhuni or Smooth crotalaria ( Crotalaria pallida , family: Fabaceae) is an annual or perennial erect herb with trifoliate leaves, attaining a height up to 2 m. Young branches are quadrangular, sometimes reddish, pubescent. When the dried fruits are shaken that make rattling sound. The Bangla name of the plant Jhunjhuni is derived from this special feature. It is found in croplands, grasslands, along roadsides and village thickets in Bangladesh. It is also found throughout the tropics. Other names: Jhonjhoni, Jhumjhumi, Jhunjhuna (Bang); Striped rattlepod, Ding ding (Eng). Leaves are trifoliate, light green; leaflets membranous, elliptic to elliptic-ovate, 3-7 cm long and 2-4 cm wide, upper part glabrous, lower puberulous, apex rounded or retuse. 20-30 flowers are in terminal or axillary inflorescence, erect, up to 30 cm long. Flowers are bright yellow with claw and reddish-brown lines along the veins on the outer sides. Flowering occurs in summer and it continues to late autumn.