Flora of Bangladesh

Bohera or Belleric myrobalan ( Terminalia bellirica , family: Combretaceae) is a large deciduous tree with numerous spreading branches, attaining a height of 30 to 40 m. Trunk is straght. Bark is thick and deep grey in color. Widely heard ‘Triphala’ is a mixture of Horitki ( Terminalia chebula ), Amloki ( Phyllanthus emblica ) and Bohera. According to Ayurvedic method, regular consumption of Triphala-soaked water will reduce excess weight effortlessly. It is found in the Sal forests as well as hilly forests of Bangladesh. It is also found in Southeast Asia and Northern Australia.  Other names:  Boyra, Bastard myrobalan (Eng). Leaves are ovoid or obovoid, 8-20 cm long and 5-10 cm wide with rounded tip, long petioled, alternate, clustered at the end of branchlets. The leaves totally fall off in winter. The sparkle of new leaves in spring is bound to catch everyone's eye.  Inflorescence is axilary, terminal, pendant, spike, up to 8 cm long. Flowers are sweet-scented, sessile, small

Shalu kocu or Shola kochu ( Alocasia fornicata , family: Araceae) is an erect perinnial herb with rhizome and stolon, attaining a height of 1 to 1.5 m. Stolon grows horizontally. Roots are whitish. It is found everywhere, specially in ditch and damp places in Bangladesh along with Pipul ( Piper longum ), Bhat ( Clerodendrum viscosum ), Asam lota, ( Mikania micrantha ) and other species of ferns. It is also found in South and Southeast Asia. All parts of the plant is eaten as vegetable in the country.  Leaves are broad, thin, triangular, pale but deep green, glabrous, shiny, 30-40 cm long, bottom part cut apart. Petiole is thick and almost as long as the total height of the plant, 40-45 cm. Like other members of the genus Alocasia, new leaves develop slowly from its wrapped state. New leaves are spectacular. Numerous small and yellow-colored flowers are clustered on spadix inflorescence, covered with eye-catching white-colored spathe. In the initial stage the inflorescence is fully co