Apang or Prickly chafflower, Achyranthes aspera

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Apang or Prickly chafflower (Achyranthes aspera, family: Amaranthaceae) is an annual herb with woody base, 1-1.5 m height. Terete to quadrangular stem is straight, hairy and not much-branched. It is considered as a crop weed in the country.


Other names: Biral achra, Bilai-khami, Chirchita, Upot lyangra, Bilai-khamchi (Bangla); Snake tail (English).


Leaves are green, simple, ovate-oblong, 10-12 cm long and 6-7 cm wide, opposite, short-petioled. 


Flowers are small, green, on terminal spike inflorescence. Stamens 5, pistils 5. The inflorescence is 10-40 cm long, hard with stipules. Flowering occurs in late autumn. 


Fruit is nutlet, hard with wings. Seeds are brown, sub-cylindrical. It is propagated by seeds. Dry seeds can spread in other ways besides the help of wind. By touching human or animals body they spread far beyond too.


The erect herb is a well-known folk medicinal plant in Indian subcontinent. It is mentioned in the ancient Ayurveda scriptures. Its decoction is used in stangury, dysentery, diarrhea, rheumatism, hydrophobia, jaundice, heart and skin diseases. It is also used in the worship of Hindu religion. It is found everywhere, especially in fallow land in Bangladesh.  It is found in tropical and subtropical parts of the world too. 

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Parul or Fragrant padri tree, Stereospermum chelonoides

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Parul or Fragrant padri tree ( Stereospermum chelonoides , family: Bignoniaceae) is a medium or large-sized deciduous tree with branches, attaining a height of 25 m. Young shoots are pubescent. Bark is grey.  About this flower, a kind of literary madness has been found for a long period of time among the Bengalees. Although it is mentioned numerous times in Bangla literature, the tree is quite difficult to find in Bangladesh.  The great news is, 5 of its trees are found in the courtyard of Bangladesh Security Printing Press School in Gajipur. India is the original home of the plant. Leaves are compound, 60 cm long; leaflets are entire, 5-11, deep green, glabrous, petioled, elliptic-oblong, 10-15 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, apex acuminate. Flowers are sweet-scented, purplish, yellow at center, campunulate, 3-5 cm long, curved at the base and bronze in color, on terminal panicle; corolla tubular with short petals, petals 5. Flower buds are black and deep p
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Guloncho, Heart-leaved moonseed, Tinospora cordifolia

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Guloncho or Heart-leaved moonseed ( Tinospora cordifolia , family: Menispermaceae) is a deciduous creeper with hard and long stem, climbing other trees or fences. Bark on the stem is as thin as paper. Aerial roots come out of the stem when the plant grows older. The plant is found everywhere in Bangladesh except southern part. It is also native to South and Southeast Asia.  Common names: Heart-leaved moonseed, Guduchi, Giloy, Guloncho, Guroncho, Padma guloncho. Leaves are simple, green, alternate, cordate, 6-15 cm long and 5-13 cm wide.  Inflorescence, growing from the axil of leaflet branches, bears yellow flowers. Male and female flowers bloom separately. Sepals 6, arranged in two rows, petal 6, pistils 3. Fruit is a drupe, brilliant red when ripe. This attractive fruit is inedible to human.                                                            What an extensive climber! Tinospora cordifolia is used in weakness, tastelessness, rheumatis
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Jarul, Giant crepe-myrtle, Lagerstroemia speciosa

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Jarul or Giant crepe-myrtle   ( Lagerstroemia speciosa , family: Lythraceae) is a medium-sized deciduous tree with upright branches and grey bark. It can get a height of 15-20 m. The tree is native to South & Southeast Asia.  The water-loving plant is found around the wetlands areas in Bangladesh.  Common names: Giant crape-myrtle, Pride of India. Leaves are green, entire, elliptical or lanceolate, 10-20 cm long and 4-8 cm wide.  Fowers are in raceme inflorescences, showy, purple in color. Flower 5-7 cm across, have 5 petals with numerous stamens in the middle. It  gives flower early  in the  summer.  The round to oval-shaped fruit is  2-3 cm in diameter. When mature it becomes very dry and splits in 6 pieces.  Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds. Parrot loves its fruits very much! The leaf and bark are laxative stimulant. The decoction made from these can prevent fever. The plant is water tolerating, so it is suitable for m
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