Flora of Bangladesh

Murba or Snake plant ( Dracaena trifasciata , family: Asparagaceae) is an annual rhizomatous herb without stem. It is one of the most attractive ornamental plants to gardeners that can grow with very little care. The leafy plant is drought tolerant and native to West Africa. As an ornamental plant it is found in gardens, medicinal gardens, parks, offices and road islands in Bangladesh. Other names:  Shutahar, Ghora-chokkro (Bang), Mother-in-law's tongue (Eng). Leaves are long, twisted, thick, stiff, sword-like, 60-90 cm long and 4-6 cm wide, criss-crossed with numerous black and white stripes. A attractive variegated cultivar which is called Laurentii has yellow-colored edges and numerous black stripes.  Flowers are greenish white, scented, clustered on long raceme inflorescence, bisexual. These bloom in spring. Fruits are globose, berry, red or orange, 1-3 seeded. These ripen in the rainy season. Propagation is caused by cutting of leaves and rhizome division.  It is u...

Shotomuli or Shatawari (Asparagus racemosus , family: Asparagaceae) Is a perennial creeping shrub with numerous branches. The spectacular bushy and extensive shrub is thorny. Sometimes thorne is about 1-3 cm long. It can extend far beyond by holding something. The plant has a large number of whitish tubers. For this reason in Bangla, it is called as Shotomuli (the plant of numerous roots).   Other names:  Bohumula, Keshika, Shoto-netrika, Tejbolli, Modhura, Climbing asparagus (Eng). It is a renowned herbal plant of Indian subcontinent. This is much appreciated in ancient Ayurveda. It is found mainly in the Sal forest of Modhupur and the Swamp forest of Ratargul, Sylhet in Bangladesh. It is also found in India and Sri Lanka. Leaves are bright green, linear, those are called cladophyll. Cladophyll is leaf-like tiny branches. During the winter all its leaves fall off. Raceme inflorescence bears many small and whitish flowers. Petals 5. Floweri...