Flora of Bangladesh

Gewa or Blind your eye mangrove ( Excoecaria agallocha , family: Euphobiaceae) is a large coastal shrub or small tree attaining a height of 3-10 m. Bark is grey and rough. The plant is abundantly found near the sea shore of Chattogram, Cox'sbazar and in the Sundar bans.  It is native to South Asia and Australia.  Broken branches and leaves emit white latex which is very dangerous to human skin as well as eyes.  Other names: Genga, Gew. Leaves are bright green, alternate, glabrous, petioled, elliptical, lateral nerves unclear, 5-10 cm long and 4-5 cm wide. petiole is 2-3 cm long.  Flowers are yellowish, small, scented, borne on raceme. Male and female flowers bloom on separate trees. Female flowers appear on shorter inflorescence. Flowers bloom in rainy season.  Fruit is globose, smooth, 3-lobbed, dehiscent. The propagation of the plant is caused by seeds. Its timber is light and spongy. It is used as the raw material of paper and match industries. Li

Keora or Mangrove apple (S onneratia apetala , family: Lythraceae) is a medium-sized evergreen tree with aerial roots and drooping branches, attaining a height of 15 m. The bark of the mangrove tree is black and smooth. Needless to say, the leafy tree is salt tolerant. The fast growing tree is found through the tidal forests of Bangladesh, Myanmar and India.   Leaves are simple, 5-10 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wide, oblong-lanceolate, coriacous, shinny, tapering at the end, short-petioled. Flowers are greenish white, terminal, single to 3-5 flowers, petal-less, articled with cup-shaped sepal, divided into 4 parts; pedicel long; stamens numerous, style is very much projected from the flower. Flowering occurs from March-August. Fruit is big in size, round-shaped, crowned with persistent sepals. Surprisingly true, seeds germinate on the tree. In fact, the tree is located in the water or in waterside area. So she had to take this kind of action. Frui