Flora of Bangladesh

Kamela or Monkey-face tree ( Mallotus philippensis, family: Euphorbiaceae) is a small-sized tree, usually 8-12 m in height. The bark of the evergreen tree is grey, smooth and wrinkled. Young shoot, leaves and inflorescence are covered with rust-colored hair. The tree is found everywhere in Bangladesh. It is also found in South and Southeast Asia. Other names: Shinduri, Kamala, Kapila, Komolaguli.  Leaves are simple, green, alternate, petioled, ovate-lanceolate, edge slightly undulated, acuminate at the apex, 8-20 cm long and 3-6 cm wide. The lower side of the leaves contain many glands. Petiole is 1-8 cm long and has a pair of gland at the bottom. Flowers are small, reddish brown, borne on spike inflorescence. Male and female flowers bloom on separate inflorescences.  Fruit is a capsule, globose, having three lobes, covered with red powdery substance, almost 1 cm in diameter. Seeds are blackish, subglobose.  Flowers and fruits are fou...

Chondromala, Kumudini or Crested floating-heart ( Nymphoides cristatum , family: Menyanthaceae) is an aquatic flowering plant with long branches. The branches of the floating herb reach the surface of the water. Roots grow from nodes. Other names: Pan shiuli, Pan-shimli, Chandmala, Panjuli.  It is a common aquatic plant of Bangladesh and found throughout the country's beel-jheel, canal and pond along with Water spinach , Keshordam (Creeping water primrose), Bladderwort and Alligator weed . It is also found in India, China and some countries of Southeast Asia.     Leaves are simple, orbicular, deeply cordate, purplish at the edge, veins are green and spread like nets. The sepals is not adjacent to the petals, almost divided. Flowers are white with yellow centre, petals 5, adjacent, glabrous. Each lobe has a crest down the middle of each lobe. Fruit is a capsule, broadly ovoid, subglobose. Seeds 10-20, pale yellowish brown.