Flora of Bangladesh

Korpula or Bawali-lota (Sarcolobus carinatus, Family: Asclepiadaceae) is a thin vine that twists a tree or trails on ground, having milky latex all over its body. The plant loves to grow the coastal tidal and salt-water forests.It is mainly found in the both sides of famous Mangrove forest Sundarbans, as well as the sea-shore of Noakhali, Bhola, Chattogram, Cox'sbazar districts. Outside the country, it is found in Indian subcontinent, Andaman-Nicobor Islands, China, Myanmar and Thailand.  Common names: Baoli-lota, Baoni-lota, Bandali-lota. Its leaves are much like the shelterer tree Gewa or Blind your eye (Excoecaria agallocha). So suddenly it cannot be identified in isolation very easily. The leaves are about half as long as the leaves of the shelterer, similar in color. Presumably, the shelterer is the mother plant of the vine. Leaves are pale green, obovate or elliptic-oblong, 3-6 cm long and 1-2 cm wide, coriacious, glabrous on both sides, apex acute or blunted, opposite. Le

Koroch or Kures ( Dalbergia reniformis , family: Fabaceae) is a small or medium-sized bushy tree with spreading branches, attaining a height of 10-13 m. The water-loving tree is native to Bangladesh. The stem and branches are brownish. In the country, it is found throughout the Haors of Netrokona, Sunamgonj and Sylhet districts. It is one of the dominant trees of Sylhet's Ratargul Swamp Forest. It is also found in the wetlands of  India and Myanmar too. The plant has great adaptability to survive almost half-submerged in water. It can remain in this condition for about 6 months! This is one of the most remarkable and strongest characteristics of the tree among the plant world. Leaves are dark green, whitish green beneath, glabrous, compound, 15-32 cm long, imparipinnate; leaflets 7-9, entire, petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, 6-10 cm and 3-5 cm wide with rounded base and acute apex, alternate, coriaceous. New leaves are ovate, shiny and light green with bending apex. Flowers are whit

Dhaiphul or Fire-flame bush ( Woodfordia fruticosa , family: Lythraceae) is a lare-sized decidous shrub with spreading and pendulous branches, attaining a height of 4 m. Bark is brownish, smooth. Young branches pubescent when young. The plant grows on rock in hilly evergreen forests of Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. It covers a vast geographical area, found from tropical Africa to East Asia. Other names: Dainphul, Dhatriphul (Bang); Red bell bush (Eng); Parvati (Sans). Leaves are green, 5-7 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate with curved and elongated apex, base rounded or cordate; opposite or subopposite, short-petioled or sessile. The lateral veins of blade unexpctedly merge before the edge. 3-16 reddish orange flowers in axillary cymes, short-peduncled, glandular-pubescent. Calyx 1.5 cm long, base campanulate, tube bright red. Sepals 5. Petals slightly longer than calyx-teeth. Flowering occurs at the end of winter to spring. Fruit is a

Muchokundo or Mapple-leaved bayur ( Pterospermum acerifolium , family: Sterculiaceae) is a large-sized evergreen tree with pubescent young shoots, rounded trunk and Mapple-like leaves, attaining a height of 30 m. Bark is grey, glabrous and soft. Wood is reddish. It is found in the forest of Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts and Sylhet in Bangladesh. It is planted in parks, botanical gardens and beside avenue as an ornamental tree. The tall tree is indigenous to Indian subcontinent as well as some countries of Southeast Asia. Other names: Muskanda, Konokchapa (Bang); Dinnerplate tree, Bayur tree (Eng). Leaves are large, usually 12-20 cm long and 10-15 cm wide, multilobed or palmate, irregularly toothed, base cordate, upper part dark green and glabrous, bronzy and tomentose beneath, alternate; petiole pinkish, 5-15 cm long. Flowers are quite big, single or 2-3-flowered, fragrant and pure white, nocturnal; sepals 5, petals 5. Sepals are linear-lanceolate, rusty pubescent, thick, ref

Bon-jam or Kak-jam ( Syzygium fruticosum , family: Myrtaceae) is a small or medium-sized tree with short trunk and glabrous all of its parts, attaining a height of 10 m. Bark is greyish brown. The tree looks a lot like Black plum,  Syzygium cumini but is small in size. The plant is native to Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, China and Thailand. It is found in village area, parks and gardens and forest margins in the country. Other local name: Buti-jam   Leaves are dark green with clear midrib and numerous lateral nerves, coriaceous, undulated, oblong-lanceolae, 6-12 cm long and 3-5 cm wide, apex acuminated, base rounded, petioled, opposite. Flowers are in cluster on cyme inflorescence, up to 8 cm long. Flowers are white, stamens numerous, tiny, sessile.  Fruit is a edible berry, globose, ellipsoid, 5-9 mm long. These are deep purple when ripe. Flowering occurs in summer (Apr-May). Fruit ripens in rainy season. The plant is propagated by seeds. Its fruits are frequently consume by village