Flora of Bangladesh

Keteli or Creeping thistle ( Cricus arvensis , family:  Asteraceae) is an erect perennial herb, attaining a height of 40-120 cm. It grows on cropland or on the edge of lands in Bangladesh. Its stem and leaves are covered with cobwebby hairs. Spiny leaves are simple, dented, unevenly wavy, sessile, usually 7-10 cm long and 1-3 cm wide. Other name: Kanta dudhley, Kanta kandailey, Shilkanta, Logakanta. Flowers are small, pink, borne on head. Single flower is soft as a feather. Male and female flowers bloom on separate inflorescences. The infloresence bearing male flowers is round and the one bearing female flowers is oblong. The fruit is an achene, having brown pappus and looking glaucous and glabrous. Mature seeds are cotton-like fiber which can spread far and wide.  It is mostly found in the rural areas of the country. By the by, the flowering time of the plant is spring.

Katabegun or Jongli tomato ( Solanum sisymbriifolium , family: Solanaceae) is an annual viscid and spiny herb native to South America and is currently distributed throughout the world. The viscid, hairy and spiny bush is found near water bodies, beside roads and fallow lands. The erect herb (about 1 meter tall) acts as an invasive weed in some parts of its range by out-competing local vegetation. Common names:  S ticky nightshade, Viscid nightshade, Wild tomato. Spiny leaves are ovate-lanceolate, 4-6 lobed, 40 cm long and 25 cm wide. The leaves are borne on petioles 1-6 cm long and are pubescent both above and below with stellate and glandular hairs. The 5-parted flowers are white, light blue, or mauve, about 3 cm in diameter, and are subtended by a hairy calyx 5-6 mm long.  Vivid red, succulent, globular berries are edible, almost tastes like tomatoes; 12-20 mm in diameter with pale yellow seeds 2.9-3.2 mm long. The plant is propagated by seeds. The fruit ...