Flora of Bangladesh

Jibon or Indian nettle tree ( Trema orientalis , family: Ulmaceae) is a fast growing medium-sized tree with green trunk and branches, attaining a height of 10 m. It is usually found in the form of bushes on fallow lands and beside the roads. It is a very common tree in Bangladesh. The evergreen tree is also found in South and Southeast Asia and tropical Africa.  Other names: Chikon, Jinal, Gobor-jiga, Bon-jiga, Charcoal tree (Eng). Leaves are hairy on both sides; cordate or round at the bsae, elliptic-lanceolate, 6-12 cm long and 3-4 cm wide, hairy, alternate, serrated, elongated and pointed apex. Flowers are greenish white, tiny. Male and female flowers grow in the same tree or in separate trees. These bloom round the year. Fruits are round-elliptic, tiny too. The fruits turn black when ripe. Propagatioin is caused by seeds and cuttings. Adicoction of the root is used for the treatment of diarrhoea and the passing of blood in the urine. Th...

Lungichor or Running Mountain Grass ( Oplismenus compositus , family: Poaceae) is a perennial grass with spectacular leaves and inflorescence, attaining a height of 20-120 cm. It trails on ground by growing roots from the hairy nodes.  It is found in the  tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa, South America and Australia. It is found in shady and damp places of forest in Bangladesh. Leaves are green, hairy, lanceolate-ovate, 3-12 cm long, pointed apex, sessile, undulate. Flowering occurs in the autumn to late autumn. Raceme inflorescence 10-25 cm long. Lower florets are barren, Upper florets bisexual. Fruits are linear, tiny. When spikelets become dry, they try to touch passing animals and this way they complete the  propagation. The leaves of the plant are beautiful. So it can be planted in gardens, parks and road islands. Gohur is the another Bangla name of the plant.

Shal or Sal ( Shorea robusta , family: Dipterocarpaceae) is a large and deciduous robust tree with straight trunk and few branches at the top, usually 20-40 m high. Wood is reddish brown. The tree is found in Gazipur, Tangail, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Rongpur and Comilla in Bangladesh. Leaves are simple, alternate, glossy green, leathery, ovate-oblong with pointed apex, base rounded or cordate, 15-20 cm and 5-10 cm wide; petioles 2 cm. long. Flowers are very small, petals 5, yellowish orange, soft and hairy, borne on large panicle. Flowers blooms in March-April. Fruit is brown-colored nut with 5 unequal linear wings, 5-7 cm long. propagated by fresh seeds and also from newly grown seedlings those grown from the base of the tree. For this reason, Shal is also called Gojari. Shal is a commercial timber tree in Bangladesh. Its timber is robust and used as pole, boat, railway sleeper, furniture. Burning leaves produce a kind of aroma. So cigar can be made f...