Flora of Bangladesh

Batilota or Climbing aroid ( Pothos scandens , family: Araceae) is a long-stemmed and semi-woody climber with peculiar leaves, cylindric branches, attaining a height of 10-15 m. Actually it is an epiphytic climber. It climbs to the top holding the sheltering plant with the help of roots arising from the internodes of its body. The leafy plant is usually found creeping on trees in the North-eastern region as well as Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. Outside the country, it is found in the tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa. Other names: Hatilota, Sunat. It is a beautiful leafy climber. Although the leaf-blade may look like lobed, it is actually it's petiole! Leaves are light or dark green, shiny, coriaceous, lanceolate, ovate or elliptic with p, 3-8 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide with pointed or rounded apex. The strange-looking petiole is winged and broad, 3-12 cm long, 1-2 cm wide. Spadix is round or ovoid, yellowish, axillary, .5 cm long; spathe tiny, pedunc...

Shalu kocu or Shola kochu ( Alocasia fornicata , family: Araceae) is an erect perinnial herb with rhizome and stolon, attaining a height of 1 to 1.5 m. Stolon grows horizontally. Roots are whitish. It is found everywhere, specially in ditch and damp places in Bangladesh along with Pipul ( Piper longum ), Bhat ( Clerodendrum viscosum ), Asam lota, ( Mikania micrantha ) and other species of ferns. It is also found in South and Southeast Asia. All parts of the plant is eaten as vegetable in the country.  Leaves are broad, thin, triangular, pale but deep green, glabrous, shiny, 30-40 cm long, bottom part cut apart. Petiole is thick and almost as long as the total height of the plant, 40-45 cm. Like other members of the genus Alocasia, new leaves develop slowly from its wrapped state. New leaves are spectacular. Numerous small and yellow-colored flowers are clustered on spadix inflorescence, covered with eye-catching white-colored spathe. In the initial stage the inflorescence is full...

Kochu or Taro ( Colocasia esculenta , family: Araceae) is a perennial aquatic herb with stolon and rhizome, attaining a height of 1.5 m. It is found by water or standing in water. The fast-growing plant is found almost everywhere in Bangladesh. Although it is originated mainly in Southeast Asia, it has gradually become naturalized in the tropical world. It is one the oldest cultivated crops in Asia. The whole part of the plant, like leaf, stem, petiole, rhizome, stolon--everything can be eaten as vegetable. Other names: Mukhi kochu, Gura kochu, Kuri kochu, Chhora kochu, Duli kochu, Binni kochu. Leaves are showy, large, green, glabrous, triangular-ovate, 30-40 cm long and 20-26 cm wide. Petiole is thick and juicy and it can be almost equal to the height of the plant. New leaves grow from the rhizome. Neumerous small flowers are clustered on spadix inflorescence, covered with giant bract leaf, spathe; the spadix is three-fifths of the spathe. In initial stage the inflorescence is full...

Jhanjhi or Water thyme ( Hydrilla verticillata , Hydrocharitaceae) is many branched submerged herb with slender stem. The aquatic plant is treated as weed to paddy field in Bangladesh. It is found abundantly in river, haor, canal, beel-jheel and pond in the country.  Other Bangla names:  Kureli, Kanjal, Kerola, Chingri-dol, Kutkute jhanjhi. Leaves are green,  linear, sometimes having  reddish dots or dashes on them, .5-2 cm long, serrate, pointed apex, sessile. Male spathe axillary in one or all leaves of a whorl. Male flowers born in spathe in single.  Flowers can be seen floating in the water when released from the spathe; perianth reddish white. Female spathe with apex, shortly bidentate, perianth slender, long, tubular. Flowering occurs in winter. Fruit is echinate, smooth or soft. Seeds 2-6, ellipsoid, glabrous, dark brown. The plant is propagated by seeds. It is found in South and Southeast Asia, East Europe, Africa and Austr...

Mankochu or Giant taro ( Alocasia macrorrhizos , family: Araceae) is a rhizomatous evergreen herb with soft, smooth and round stem up to 15-18 cm in diameter. Usually it can get a height of 1 to 2 m. It is one of the most popular vegetables in Bangladesh. The perennial plant is found everywhere in Bangladesh, especially in rural areas.  Common names: Giant alocasia, Elephant ear, Upright Elephant ear. Upright leaves are gigantic and very attractive too; about 1 m long, green and heart-shaped, dented with pointed or round end, petiole is almost 1 m long covering the stem. Inflorescence is a spadix, small flowers are covered with spathe. Spathe is divided in to two parts, upper part is 20-25 cm long and the lower is 3-5 cm long. Flower blooms in the autumn (Sep-Oct). Fruit is orange or reddish. Propagation is by rhizome. It is planted mainly in rainy season. Its fleshy frond and leaves are used as vegetable which is nutritious.  It reduces ...