Flora of Bangladesh

Kuchai or Konoklota ( Caesalpinia enneaphylla , family: Caesalpiniaceae) is a woody scandent shrub or bushy climber with profuse branches and bipinnate leaves. Branches are scattered, dark browish and filled with neumerous dots and stout and hook-like spines. In Bangladesh it is found beside the streams and on hill slopes in Sylhet, Chattogram and Chattogram Hill Tracts. It is also found in Indian subcontinent and China as well as South and Southeast Asia.  Leaves are beautiful to look at; compound, bipinnate, rachis 20-30 cm long, pinnae 8-12 pairs, opposite; leaflets are tiny, elliptic-oblong, 8-10 pairs, opposite, 1.5-2.5 cm long. The fragrant flowers are bright yellow, in terminal or auxillary panicles, bloom periodically from bottom to top, up to 30 cm long. Flowers 1.5-3 cm long; petals 2-lobed, sepals 5, stamens 10. Flowering occurs from August to October. Fruit is a legume, elliptic-oblong, 7-11 cm long and 2-4 cm wide. Seeds 4-6. Young pods are red-colored. The plant is ...

Kanta mehedi or Golden dewdrop ( Duranta erecta , family: Verbenaceae) is a vigorous and poisonous bushy shrub with drooping branches, attaining a height of 7 m. Bark is brownish. Usually there are no thorns on its body but some plants do, especially in older plants. It is drought-tolerant and can grow well in shade or in bright light. It is found everywhere in Bangladesh as an ornamental plant. Its original home is tropical America. It is famous all over the tropical world for its beauty. In Bangla, it is also known as Duronto. Leaves are light green, sometimes yellowish, deeply dented, opposite, 3-7 cm long and 2-4 cm wide. Flowers are light blue, deep purple or white, sweet-scented. These are small, on 10-15 cm long raceme inflorescence. Petals, 5, sepals 5. Fruit is berry, subglobose, turns orange when ripe. Flowering and fruiting occur throughout the year. Propagation is caused by seeds and cuttings.  Leaves and fruits are poisonous. The plant is used for preparing inse...

Turut chondal or Telegraph plant ( Desmodium motorium , family: Fabaceae) is a shrub with branches and attractive leaves, attaining a height of 2 m. It naturally grows in different districts Bangladesh. It is also found in the countries of South and Southeast Asia. Like Lojjaboti (Touch me not), the leaves of the plant can move and that can be seen with the naked eye. Renowned Bengali scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose proved by experimenting on this plant that the plant also has life. Seeing the movement of the leaves, he may have become interested in this research. Common names : Turuchondal, Turichondal, Bonchondal, Gorachan. Leaves are pale green, sometimes trifoliate with white shade along the midrib; Treminal leaflet is much longer and thicker than other two, 5-7 cm long and 2-2.5 cm wide. The most notable feature of the plant is that its tiny leaves of each pinna can move. This may be to get more sunlight. Flowers are pale orange. Thesee bloom in spring (Feb-Mar).  Fruit is ...

Congea or Wooly congea ( Congea tomentosa , family: Lamiaceae) is a woody and extensive creeper, covering with shaggy hair in young shoots and branches. Its beauty during the flowering season is so unique that it surpasses many other plants in the garden. This beauty is mainly for its surprising and unique bractioles.  Although it is not indigenous to Bangladesh but it is originated in neighboring India, Myanmar and Malaysia as well some of the countries of Southeast Asia. In Bangladesh it is found in parks and botanical gardens as an ornamental plant. Leaves are simple, 10-12 cm long and 5-10 cm wide, entire, short petioled, opposite, ovate-lanceolate. There are dense hairs on both sides of the leaf, more on the underside. Rough branch of the inflorescence bears 3-9 flowers. There are small velvety bracts at the bottom of the inflorescence and three bractioles at the top of it, taking the shape of the cup. Sepals 5, bilabiate, tubular, with dense hair. S...

Amkurchi or Kali lota ( Derris scandens , family: Fabaceae) is a woody and extensive creeper or scandent shrub with greenish grey and smooth bark. The evergreen plant is mainly found in the hilly forests as well as Sundarbans of Bangladesh. It is also found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. Other names: Kumaria lota, Noa lota. Leaves are dark green, compound, imparipinnate (having single leaflet at the end), leaflets 9-15, ovoid-lanceolate, coriaceous, shiny, 2.5-5 cm long, opposite, top one is bigger than others.   Flowers are small, pinkish or white, pea-shaped, borne on axillary raceme. Inflorescence quite long, 15-35 cm. Flowering occurs from the end of spring to autumn. Fruits are pods, 3.5-4 cm long, having pointed end. Seeds 1-4. Propagation is caused by seeds and cuttings.  Paste of bark is used in snakebite. Some parts of the plant are used as fish poison. Rope fibre can be produced from its bark. ...

Horina or Boro horina ( Lepisanthes rubiginosa , family: Sapindaceae) is a small tree with branches, attaining a height of 15 m. It is found in village thickets in Bangladesh. It is also found in South and Southeast Asia and in Australia. The little leafy tree is a beautiful one. It can be planted as an ornamental plant beside roads, in parks and gardens. Leaves are paripinnate (leaves are in pair in a pinnae), Leaflets 6-12, opposite or almost opposite, pale green in color, ovate-oblong, 5-15 cm long and 3-8 cm wide.   Inflorescence 15-30 cm long. Flowers are sweet-scented, very small, brownish white or yellowish, terminal; peatls 4, sepals 4. These bloom in March-April. Fruit is round, 1-3-lobed, almost glabrous, 1-1.5 cm long. When ripe, the fruits turn blackish. Before ripening, the fruits gradually turn yellow and red. And this is one of the easiest ways to detect the tree.  Fruits are sweet-tasted. Children love these. These are fa...

Rubber bot or Indian rubber ( Ficus elastica , family: Moraceae) is a medium or large evergreen tree with aerial prop roots grow from its branches. The fig tree with milky latex in its leaves and shoots can get a height of more than 30 meters. The trunk is smooth, black-colored and has very tiny whitish spots. This tree is well-known as an ornamental plant. In Bangladesh, it is found on roadside area or the edge of forest and in parks and gardens. The beautiful tree is native to South and Southeast Asia. Leaves are spectacular, simple, big, leathery, deep green, sometimes deep purplish, shiny and smooth, elliptic-ovate, 12-30 cm long and 5-12 cm wide, petioled, alternate, acuminate at the top. Florets remain inside the fruit or fig which cannot be seen from outside. Fruiting occurs in the late spring. Fruits develop in the nodes of  the Fruits. They usually round, sometimes slender in shape. Mature fruits are yellow or red in color. The plant is propagate...

Bajna or Cape yellowwood ( Zanthoxylum rhetsa , family: Rutaceae) is a medium-sized or large deciduous tree with numerous branches. It can get a height of 10-13 m. The whole trunk and old branches are covered with strong prickles. The bark is thick and yellow.                                               Other names : Bajinali, Kata-horina, Tambul. Despite being thorny, it is quite a beautiful tree and can be planted as an ornamental plant beside roads and in parks and gardens.  In Bangladesh it is found in hilly areas Shal forests. The tree is also found in the countries of South and Southeast Asia. Flowers are very small, pale yellow, borne at the tip of the branch.  Flowering occurs in the summer. Fruits are small, almost round, blackish when ripe. Each fruit has only one seed, which is black and bright. The propagation o...

Porosh-pipul   or  Tulip tree ( Thespesia populnea , family: Malvaceae) is a medium-sized evergreen tree, attaining a height of 5-10 m with nice dense canopy. Bark is rough and grey in color. As an ornamental plant it can be planted beside roads.  In fact it is one of the most beautiful trees of the Indian subcontinent. It is found in the coastal areas in Bangladesh as well as in Africa, tropical Asia, throughout India and Pacific Islands. Other names : Porosh, Pakor, Pipul, Bolu (Bangla), Portia tree, Umbrella tree. Leaves are deep green, simple, cordate, 15-18 cm long and 10-15 cm wide, alternate, petiole 4-10 cm long, upside is smooth, grey and fibrous beneath.  Flowers are beautiful, big-sized, bell-shaped, solitary or in pair, about 8 cm across, pale yellow. Sepals 5, petals 5.  Flowering occurs mainly in the summer, though flowers can be seen throughout the year. The flower is short-lived, that remain...

Daadmordon or Ringworm bush ( Senna alata , family: Caesalpiniaceae) is a tall erect shrub, attaining a height of 2.5 m. Stem is thick and yellowish. It is native to the West Indian Islands. From there it came to the country through the Portuguese. It is found in fallow lands and beside roads in Bangladesh. It is also found in the tropical areas round the world. The plant is unique to bring the royal splendor of yellow color to gardens.   As an ornamental plant it is planted in gardens and parks. The bushy shrub is a very popular medicinal plant in the country as well as Indian subcontinent.  Leaves compound, 25-60 m long, leaflets 6-10 pairs, oblong, opposite, 6-10 cm long 4-5 cm wide, sometimes slightly orcordate at the tip, sessile.  Flowers are borne on upward terminal raceme, from bottom to top, 15-20 cm long. Flowers are brilliant yellow with brownish shade, 2-5 cm wide, petals 5, several different-sized stamens in the middle...