Shorgo-poddo or Heaven lotus, Gustavia augusta

-
Shorgo-poddo or Heaven lotus (Gustavia augusta, family: Lecythidaceae) is a small or medium-sized evergreen tree with few branches. Trunk is straight and smooth. The bushy evergreen tree can get a height up to 10 m. Its flower is a spectacular one. Not only that, its flowers are sweet-scented. Its beauty is quite similar to Lotus. That's why it's called Heaven Lotus or Tree lotus.


Other names: Dadra (Bangla), Majestic heaven lotus.

The leaves are crowded at the very end of the stem. Those are deep green, quite big, 30-50 cm long and 10-12 cm wide, glossy, narrow at the base and broader at the end, aternate, serrated, sessile or short-petioled. Young leaves are beautiful, almost bronze-colored. Although the tree has many beautiful features, it should be said, It has an unpleasant odor on its leaves.


Flowers are borne in terminal inflorescence. Those are big and showy, 8-12 cm wide; petals 6-8, one is curved; pink or white, stamens numerous. Though it is quite difficult matter to find out the heavenly flowers among the crowd of big leaves.


Fruits are round but dramatically blunt at the end; looks like someone has cut it in half. Those are 5 cm in diameter, many-seeded. Fruits are edible. Flowering occurs in April-May and it continue up to July. Flowers and fruits can be seen at a time.


Without it, tropical gardens cannot be thought of. It is originated in Central America and South America.  It is found in some parks, gardens and botanical gardens in Bangladesh.


Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds and cuttings.

Comments

Post a Comment

Week Star

Makal or Mahakal, Trichosanthes tricuspidata

-
Image
Makal or Mahakal ( Trichosanthes tricuspidata , family: Cucurbitaceae) is a woody climber with tendril and branches, attaining a height of 10-12 m. The multiangular-branched plant climbs up very far by holding any tree in the forest. It is found in the hilly areas as well as plain forests and village thickets in Bangladesh. It is also found in Indian subcontinent, Australia and some countries of South and Southeast Asia.  According to ancient Sanskrit scriptures the other names of the plant are Bishala, Mohendro-baruni.  In the Himalayas it has been seen at an altitude of 5000 feet. There are many refferences to the fruit in Bangla and Sanskrit literature. Someone is very nice to look at but he/she is useless--writers usually jokingly give examples of this fruit. Its roots and attractive fruits are packed with medicinal properties.  The size and shape of leaves may vary. These are multilobed or trilobed, alternate, rough in both sides, 5-12 cm long, petioled, cor
Read more

Shachi or Sessile joyweed, Alternanthera sessilis

-
Image
Shachi or Sessile joyweed ( Alternanthera sessilis , family: Amaranthaceae) is a creeping sub-aquatic herb with many branches, attaining a height of 10-35 cm. The branches are formed in pairs from the nodes of the stems. Sometimes it lies on the ground by forming roots from the stem axil.  Other names:  Chanchi, Phul heicha, Haiccha, Shati shak.  Stem is glabrous and usally green but sometimes reddish. Young shoots are minutely hairy. The plant grows near water bodies, in fallow lands, on roadside, even on old wall. It is found everwhere in Bangladesh. It is also found in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Leaves are green, sessile, elliptic-oblanceolate, opposite, 5-6 cm long and 2.5-3.5 cm wide, undulated and dented irregularly, tip rounded.  The inflorescence, round in shape and white in color arises from the leaf axil. These are much like Maloncho (Alligator weed) . Florets are sessile, petals 5. It blooms almost round the year. F
Read more

Tomal or Mountain persimmon, Diospyros cordifolia

-
Image
Tomal  or  Mountain persimmon  ( Diospyros cordifolia,  family: Ebenaceae) is a deciduous small to medium-sized tree with spreading branches and blackish bark, sometimes thorny. This beautiful tree is native to Malaysia, Myanmar, Australia and is introduced to Bangladesh and other subcontinent countries. Not yellow, but black is the ripe fruit! Leaves are simple green, glabrous, petioled, alternate, lanceolate-cordate 5-10 cm long and 2-4 cm wide.  Flowers are small, whitish, with 4 petals. January-February is the flowering time. Male and female flowers usually grow singly from leaf axil while the male ones bloom in cluster on cyme inflorescence.  Poisonous fruit is berry, round,  fleshy  2.5 cm across. Half-matured fruits are ye llow and they turn purplish black when fully ripe. Propagation of the plant is caused by seeds. As a medicinal plant diospyros cordifolia is used in the treatment of fever, pneumonia and diarrhoea. Stout thorns
Read more