Flora of Bangladesh

Keya or Fragrant screw-pine ( Pandanus odorifer , family: Pandanaceae) is a robust and erect shrub or small-sized tree, branching from different spots of the stem, found throughout the coastal regions of South and Southeast Asia, Australia and Polynesia. In Bangladesh this bushy and spiny plant can be seen in the sandy sea-shores and canal-side areas of Bangladesh. It is found abundantly in St. Martin's Island. Nowadays the palm-like tree is cultivated in different spots of Chattogram. The tree can attain a height of 4-5 m.  The trunk of the tree is supported by brace roots. Trunk is slender and brown with many rounded scars and thick spines. The stem and branches are quite creepy looking, though the drooping leaves are eye-catching indeed. The flowers are strong-scented and the fruits are quite interesting to look at. Wood is very soft inside and quite hard outside.  Other names: Keya kanta, Kewra (Bangla), Keya kathal, Keteki phul (Assamese), Ketaki (Sans), Large screw pine, S

Soborjala or Climbing Croton ( Croton caudatus , family: Euphorbiaceae) is a stout bushy vine, can be up to 25 meters in length and the stem can be get 4 cm in diameter. But in most places it usually does not grow more than 2 meters and exists as a small scandent shrub. Branches are slender and stout. The plant smells a bit like Black pepper (Piper nigrum). Young shoots covered with short and large stellate hairs.   It is found mainly in Gajipur, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts. Outside of Bangladesh, it is found in the Indian subcontinent, China and some countries in South and Southeast Asia. The bushy climber can live up to 10 years approximately. Local names : Nanvantui, Nanbhantur. Leaves are entire, narrowly to broadly ovate, 5-9 cm long , 2-6 cm wide, petiole .5-2.5 cm long with densly stellate hairs, irregularly dentate or crenate-dentate, hairy to subglabrous on both sides, obtuse or acute at the end. Midrib and main veins stellate-hairy. Vei

Korpula or Bawali-lota (Sarcolobus carinatus, Family: Asclepiadaceae) is a thin vine that twists a tree or trails on ground, having milky latex all over its body. The plant loves to grow the coastal tidal and salt-water forests.It is mainly found in the both sides of famous Mangrove forest Sundarbans, as well as the sea-shore of Noakhali, Bhola, Chattogram, Cox'sbazar districts. Outside the country, it is found in Indian subcontinent, Andaman-Nicobor Islands, China, Myanmar and Thailand.  Common names: Baoli-lota, Baoni-lota, Bandali-lota. Its leaves are much like the shelterer tree Gewa or Blind your eye (Excoecaria agallocha). So suddenly it cannot be identified in isolation very easily. The leaves are about half as long as the leaves of the shelterer, similar in color. Presumably, the shelterer is the mother plant of the vine. Leaves are pale green, obovate or elliptic-oblong, 3-6 cm long and 1-2 cm wide, coriacious, glabrous on both sides, apex acute or blunted, opposite. Le

Koroch or Kures ( Dalbergia reniformis , family: Fabaceae) is a small or medium-sized bushy tree with spreading branches, attaining a height of 10-13 m. The water-loving tree is native to Bangladesh. The stem and branches are brownish. In the country, it is found throughout the Haors of Netrokona, Sunamgonj and Sylhet districts. It is one of the dominant trees of Sylhet's Ratargul Swamp Forest. It is also found in the wetlands of  India and Myanmar too. The plant has great adaptability to survive almost half-submerged in water. It can remain in this condition for about 6 months! This is one of the most remarkable and strongest characteristics of the tree among the plant world. Leaves are dark green, whitish green beneath, glabrous, compound, 15-32 cm long, imparipinnate; leaflets 7-9, entire, petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, 6-10 cm and 3-5 cm wide with rounded base and acute apex, alternate, coriaceous. New leaves are ovate, shiny and light green with bending apex. Flowers are whit

Dhaiphul or Fire-flame bush ( Woodfordia fruticosa , family: Lythraceae) is a lare-sized decidous shrub with spreading and pendulous branches, attaining a height of 4 m. Bark is brownish, smooth. Young branches pubescent when young. The plant grows on rock in hilly evergreen forests of Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. It covers a vast geographical area, found from tropical Africa to East Asia. Other names: Dainphul, Dhatriphul (Bang); Red bell bush (Eng); Parvati (Sans). Leaves are green, 5-7 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate with curved and elongated apex, base rounded or cordate; opposite or subopposite, short-petioled or sessile. The lateral veins of blade unexpctedly merge before the edge. 3-16 reddish orange flowers in axillary cymes, short-peduncled, glandular-pubescent. Calyx 1.5 cm long, base campanulate, tube bright red. Sepals 5. Petals slightly longer than calyx-teeth. Flowering occurs at the end of winter to spring. Fruit is a