Flora of Bangladesh

Keora or Mangrove apple (S onneratia apetala , family: Lythraceae) is a medium-sized evergreen tree with aerial roots and drooping branches, attaining a height of 15 m. The bark of the mangrove tree is black and smooth. Needless to say, the leafy tree is salt tolerant. The fast growing tree is found through the tidal forests of Bangladesh, Myanmar and India.   Leaves are simple, 5-10 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wide, oblong-lanceolate, coriacous, shinny, tapering at the end, short-petioled. Flowers are greenish white, terminal, single to 3-5 flowers, petal-less, articled with cup-shaped sepal, divided into 4 parts; pedicel long; stamens numerous, style is very much projected from the flower. Flowering occurs from March-August. Fruit is big in size, round-shaped, crowned with persistent sepals. Surprisingly true, seeds germinate on the tree. In fact, the tree is located in the water or in waterside area. So she had to take this kind of act...

Bokphul or Vegetable hummingbird ( Sesbania grandiflora , family: Fabaceae) is a small soft-wooded tree with spreading branches, attaining a height of 10 m. Trunk is straight and tall, brownish and smooth. It is found in Madhupur forest of the country. The deciduous tree is grown in homestead and in parks and gardens for its outstanding eye-catching flowers. The tree itself  is a beautiful one. Leaves are paripinnate, 10-25 pairs of leaflets perpinnae. Leaflets are small, linear, light green, 2-4 cm long. Inflorescence is short axillary raceme. Flowers are red, white or light pink, ending portion is curved, like Heron's beak. It blooms profusely from September to November but found almost throughout the year in limited range. Fruit is linear pod with 30 seeds; almost a metre long, dehiscent. The plant is propagated by seeds. The whole plant is used as medicine. Bark is used as tonic and to prevent chicken pox. Root is used in rheumatism and gonorrh...

Gamari or  White teak  ( Gmelina arborea , family: Verbinaceae) is a fast growing deciduous tall tree with branches attaining a height of 15-35 m. Young shoots are hairy. Bark is whitish and smooth, beautiful. The trunk can be 3-4 m in diameter. It is a suitable tree for rapid forestation. It is liked to the local people for its light but durable timber. The tree is available in Chittagong and Chittagong hill tracts and Sylhet's hilly area. Leaves are opposite, 23-24 cm long and 15-156 cm wide, broadly ovate-acuminate, light green above, smooth; almost white and hairy beneath. Petiole 6-10 cm long. It sheds leaves during the winter. Flowers are brownish yellow, scented, sepals 5, petals 5, terminal, bilabiate (2-lipped), 3-3.5 cm long, slightly hairy. Flowers bloom in the middle of spring. Fruit is a drupe, 3 cm wide, smooth and green when raw, yellow, juicy and smells good when ripe. seeds 1-2. Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds. It...

Gogon sirish ( Albizia richardiana , family: Leguminosae) is a large-sized fast growing deciduous tree with cylindrical stem, dichotomously divided branches and smooth whitish brown bark.  The plant is one of the most spectacular trees of the tropical world.  It is widely planted as an avenue tree in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.  Other local names : Rajkoroi, Bahari koroi. Leaves are compound, bipinnate, rachis about 12 cm long, pinnae 8-14 pairs, each 4-7 cm long; leaflets 50-100 pairs per pinnae, sessile, feathery, linear-oblong, small.  Flowers are sessile, small, greenish white, numerous, clustered on round head. Flower comes in the rainy season.  Fruit is long, thin, flat, whitish brown, 9-13 cm long and 2-3 cm wide. Each fruit contains 8-12 seeds. The plant is propagated by seeds.  The tree with nice canopy can be attained up to 30-40 meters high. For its royal beauty, it is planted in park, garden, ope...

Ghora-neem or China berry tree ( Melia azedarach , family: Meliaceae) is a medium-sized deciduous tree from the family of Neem ( azadirachta indica ). New shoots come out from mutilated bare trunk. This blackish barked tree is native to South and Southeast Asia and Australia. This short-living but fast growing tree abounds in Bangladesh, especially in the northern region.  Common names: Ghora-neem, Bokain, Moha-neem, China berry tree, White cedar, Cape lilac, Persian lilac Flowers are small and lilac in color. Plethora of flowers bloom on axillary inflorescence. The number of sepals and petals in a flower is 5.  Fruit a drupe, globose, dry fruits are brown in color. Propagation of plant is caused by seeds. Leaves are dark green, compound, ovate-lanceolate and serrate.  Flowers are fragrant and bloom in the summer in Bangladesh. It is a good herbal plant. Branch, leaf and bark are used as medicine to relieve tooth and g...