Flora of Bangladesh

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.

Kularuki or Pouzolzia ( Pouzolzia zeylanica , family: Urticaceae) is a soft but erect herb with soft hairs, upright branches and creeping basal part, attaining a height of 30-40 cm. Stem is multiangled and soft green, sometimes reddish. It is found almost everywhere in Bangladesh. It can be seen in village thickets, waterside area, crop fields and fallow lands. Outside of the country the perennial plant is found in Southeast Asia to Australia. It has been introduced in Central America nowadays.   Other name: Graceful Pouzolz's Bush. Leaves are short-petioled, upper part alternate, but opposite in lower part; broadly ovate or elliptic ovate, 1-5 cm long, entire with acute apex, base rounded or cordate. Flowers are monoecieous, in axillary globose clusters, greenish white, glabrous or slightly pubescent. Flowering occurs in the rainy season. Fruit an achene, ovoid or elliptic, 2 mm long, shinning black. The plant is propagated by seeds and cuttings.  As an medicinal plant it is us

Kuchai or Konoklota ( Caesalpinia enneaphylla , family: Caesalpiniaceae) is a woody scandent shrub or bushy climber with profuse branches bipinnate leaves. Branches are scattered, dark browish and filled with neumerous dots and stout and hook-like spines. In Bangladesh it is found beside the streams and on hill slopes in Sylhet, Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts. It is also found in Indian subcontinent and China as well as South and Southeast Asia.  Leaves are beautiful to look at; compound, bipinnate, rachis 20-30 cm long, pinnae 8-12 pairs, opposite; leaflets are tiny, elliptic-oblong, 8-10 pairs, opposite, 1.5-2.5 cm long. The fragrant flowers are bright yellow, in terminal or auxillary panicles, bloom periodically from bottom to top, up to 30 cm long. Flowers 1.5-3 cm long; petals 2-lobed, sepals 5, stamens 10. Flowering occurs from August to October. Fruit is a legume, elliptic-oblong, 7-11 cm long and 2-4 cm wide. Seeds 4-6. Young pods are red-colored. The plant is propagat

Shada kolmi or  Hogvine ( Camonea umbellata , family : Convolvulaceae) is a extended twiner or trailer with milky latex and beautiful foliage. In Bangladesh, the woody vine is found in the districts of Dhaka, Gazipur, Rangamati, cox's Bazar, Jamalpur and Sylhet. It can be seen occupying a vast of area in waterside area, ditches and fallow lands or hanging on a tree in a huge shape. Outside the country it can be found from Indian subcontinent to Andaman Islands, and in Malaysia and Indo-China area. Other names: Bon kolmi, Chata kolmi (Bang); Yellow merremia, Yellow wood rose (Eng). There is some variation in the size and shape of the leaves. These are quite different from those of other members of the Morning glory family. Its leaves are beutiful to look at. These are thin, almost glabrous, long-petioled; ovate, lanceolate or oblong, 4-7 cm long and 5-7 cm wide, base usually cordate but can be be found rounded sometimes, tip usually acuminate. Flowering occurs in the spring. The p

Rudro polash or African tulip ( Spathodea campanulata , family: Bignoniaceae) is a large or medium-sized tree with upright branches and bushy canopy, attaining a height of 20-30 m. The ornamental tree is introduced in Bangladesh and is very popular to passionate gardeners and naturalists. It is found in parks, botanical gardens and beside roads in the country. The tree is originated in tropical Africa.  Other names: Tulip gach (Bang), Scarlet bell tree (Eng).  Leaves are compound, imparipinnate (having single leaflet at the top) 9-19 in a pinnae, leaflets ovate-oblong, short-petioled, 10-16 cm long, opposite, edge uneven, tip pointed. Although many leaves of the semi-deciduous tree fall in winter, it does not become completely bald. New leaves come in spring, with lots of vibrant and spectacular flowers.  It produces orange or reddish flowers at the top of the terminal branches. Flowers are big, wide, campanulate, spathaceous, 18-20 cm long, beaked, usually upright, bisexual. Pendunc