Observaciones de dushylarge

Zanthoxylum asiaticum (syn. Toddalia asiatica), forest pepper, Rutaceae, is a small, erect scrambling or climbing shrub. With a wide distribution, from tropical Africa, India, Sri Lanka to China. In Sri Lanka, common in montane forests and also found in coastal districts.

Plants dioecious (male and female flowers on separate individuals). Stems armed with sharp prickles. Leaves trifoliate with sessile leaflets. Flowers small, about 7 mm across, white, in a paniculate inflorescence. Fruits glandular, orange when ripe (like miniature mandarins).

Larval food plant (leaves) of the Common Banded Peacock, Common Mormon and Red Helen.

Leaves yield various volatile oils like linalool, the root bark has alkaloids like toddaline and the stem bark yields coumarins. Leaves, root bark, roots and fruit are all used in medicine; the root bark as an antimalarial, fruit and roots in oil as a liniment for rheumatism, root decoction as an anthelmintic, and leaf poultice to treat toothache.

Historically, the root bark was used as a yellow dye stuff; the colouring matter is a lighter yellow than turmeric, but is more lightfast.

Sources:

A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon, Volume V, Dassanayake and Fosberg, eds. (1988)
Plants of the World Online https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77194041-1
Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka, van der Poorten and van der Poorten (2016)
Medicinal Plants (Indigenous and Exotic) Used in Ceylon, Part IV, Jayaweera (1982)
Indian Medicinal Plants https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-0-387-70638-2_1642
A Dictionary of the Economic Products of India, Volumes I to VI, Watt (1889-1893)
Brooks, B. T. (1910). The natural dyes and coloring matters of the Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science. A: Chemical and Geological Sciences and the Industries. 5:439-452.

Cassia roxburghii, Ceylon cassia, Fabaceae, is a small tree native to Sri Lanka and India. In Sri Lanka, it is common in the dry zone.

The flowers are 2-2.5 cm across, pink to salmon-pink or rose, turning yellowish or orange as they age. The fruit is black, 20-32 cm long, 2 cm in diameter and indehiscent.

Larval food plant of the Lemon Emigrant (leaves), Redspot (leaves) and Slate Flash (flowers).

Observed on the side of a dirt track off the A15 on the way to Trikonamadu Nature Reserve.

Sources:
A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon, Volume VII, Dassanayake and Fosberg (1991)
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:485162-1
Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka, van der Poorten and van der Poorten (2016)

Jasminum angustifolium, wild jasmine, Oleaceae, a slender woody twiner, vine, or straggling shrub found scrambling through shrubs and small trees in scrub and forest in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Also found in India and the Andaman Islands.

Terminal inflorescence with 1-3 flowers. Corolla hypocrateriform. Somewhat fragrant. Flowers in April and July to September. Fruit a paired berry, black when ripe.

Observed on the side of a dirt track off the A15 on the way to Trikonamadu Nature Reserve.

Ayurveda herb. Roots are ground into a paste with the root of Acorus calamus and lime juice to treat ringworm.

Sources:
A Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon, Volume VI, Dassanayake and Fosberg, eds. (1988)
Plants of the World Online https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:609326-1
Medicinal Plants (Indigenous and Exotic) Used in Ceylon, Part IV, Jayaweera (1982).

Exacum trinervium, Gentianaceae, is endemic to Sri Lanka. According to the Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon this variable species has 4 subspecies (however, they are not accepted by Plant List); this is subsp ritigalensis.

Pergularia daemia, Apocynaceae, is a climber from Old World tropics, including Sri Lanka. Its parts contain toxic chemicals such as cardenolides.

In dry coastal areas of Sri Lanka, it is a major food plant (leaves only) of the Plain Tiger butterfly larva, Danaus chrysippus chrysippus (van der Poorten & van der Poorten, 2016, The Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka).

In Ayurveda, leaves and flowers are used for treating snakebite.

Calotropis gigantea, Apocynaceae, is a shrub from Asia, including Sri Lanka. Its leaves exude a latex containing cardiac glycosides.

In Sri Lanka, it is the main food plant (leaves and flowers) of the Plain Tiger butterfly larva, Danaus chrysippus chrysippus (van der Poorten & van der Poorten, 2016, The Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka).

Roots, flowers, stem and latex are used in Ayurveda for treating a variety of conditions and illnesses, including snakebite.

Plain Tiger, Danaus chrysippus chrysippus, wingspan 60-75mm. This is a male (see sex brand on underside of hindwing - a black patch with a white centre).

It is widespread in dry zone coastal areas of Sri Lanka. The larva feeds on plants of the Apocynaceae many of which have toxic chemicals, hence its (and the adult's) poisonous nature. The main food plant is Calotropis gigantea, but, according to the Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka (van der Poorten & van der Poorten, 2016), in dry coastal areas it also feeds on Pergularia daemia and Pentatropis capensis as often as on C. gigantea. See my other observations on C. gigantea and P. daemia.

This butterfly is probing a Cardiospermum halicacabum flower (see second uncropped image).

Indian grey mongoose, Urva edwardsii, Herpestidae, from West Asia and the Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka. Found throughout the island, more common in the northern dry zone.
This is subspecies U. e. lanka.

Lesser false vampire bat, Megaderma spasma, roosting in the water tower at Popham’s Arboretum, Dambulla, Sri Lanka. Widespread from the Indian Subcontinent to SE Asia.

I previously incorrectly identified this as Megaderma lyra.

Oxalis barrelieri, Barrelier’s woodsorrel, Oxalidaceae, is a small herb from tropical America naturalised in Sri Lanka in the hill country.

It is a butterfly nectar plant (van der Poorten & van der Poorten, 2016, The Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka).

Murraya paniculata, Orange Jessamine, Rutaceae, is a wild citrus relative from Sri Lanka, India and SE Asia. It is a shrub or small tree with highly scented flowers.

It is a butterfly nectar plant (van der Poorten & van der Poorten, 2016, The Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka).

Bark, roots, leaves and flowers are used in Ayurveda medicine to treat a variety of conditions, including hypertension.

Psiadia ceylanica, Asteraceae, is a shrub from only Sri Lanka and South India. Found at higher elevations in grassland and scrub, it flowers year round.

It is a nectar source for butterflies (van der Poorten & van der Poorten, 2016, The Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka).

Ipomoea obscura, Lesser glory, Convolvulaceae, is a slender vine from tropical Africa and Asia, including Sri Lanka, generally found in disturbed places.

Its leaves are used in Ayurveda medicine to treat aphthous infections.

Solanum violaceum, Indian nightshade, Solanaceae, is a shrub from Sri Lanka and India. Its flowers are buzz-pollinated by bees.

The edible, but bitter, fruits are usually collected from the wild for turning into curry.

Rotheca serrata, syn Clerodendrum serratum, Lamiaceae, is a shrub from Sri Lanka, India and SE Asia. In Sri Lanka it is found in wet low country and up to mid elevations.

Roots are used in Ayurveda medicine to treat malarial fever.

Erythrina fusca, Coral bean, Fabaceae, is the only Erythrina species native to both the Old and New Worlds, its wide distribution attributed to dispersal by water. In Sri Lanka it is found along rivers and its conservation status is near threatened.

It is a a food plant (leaves only) of the Chestnut Streaked Sailor (Neptis jumbah nalanda) and Common Sailor (Neptis hylas varmona) butterfly larvae (van der Poorten & van der Poorten, 2016, The Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka).

The bark, roots and seed are used in Ayurveda medicine.

Male oriental magpie-robin, Copsychus saularis, from the Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka, and SE Asia. It's an Old World flycatcher (Muscicapidae). It's a delightful songster and was once, sadly, kept as a cagebird for this reason. It has a similar shape to the European robin, but has a much longer tail which is usually kept cocked upright. The female has less bright plumage with a greyish cast.

This is tentatively identified as Dinothrombium gigas. It is an arachnid about 2-3cm long seen in Sri Lanka in sandy soil in the dry zone, usually after rain.

Please see the discussion below about this identification. Any comments and a definitive identification are welcome.

Lesser false vampire bat, Megaderma spasma, roosting in the water tower at Popham’s Arboretum, Dambulla, Sri Lanka. Widespread from the Indian Subcontinent to SE Asia.

I previously incorrectly identified this as Megaderma lyra.

Vachellia planifrons (syn. Acacia planifrons), Jungle Nail, Fabaceae. A small armed tree, about 7m tall, with a typical flat crown from South India and Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, it is restricted to the arid sandy areas of Mannar Island and the coast opposite on the mainland.

The tree has two types of thorn at the base of petioles, two short, somewhat curved, thorns and two long straight thorns (both can be seen in the image). The pods curl into spirals or rings.

This is a butterfly nectar plant (van der Poorten & van der Poorten, 2016, The Butterfly Fauna of Sri Lanka).