Blue eranthemum or blue sage scientifically known as Eranthemum pulchellum is a species of flowering plant in the acanthus family Acanthaceae. The plant is native across South and South-East Asia mainly in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Burma, Pakistan, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and India. It is naturalized in Queensland, Australia, but there is no clear evidence of naturalization elsewhere. Apart from Blue-sage, it is also known as Blue Eranthemum. The name of the genus probably comes from the combination of the Greek epithets ero which means hook, and anthemon means flower. The name of the species is the diminutive of…

Artocarpus hirsutus commonly known as Wild Jack fruit is a species in the genus Artocarpus which contains between 68 and 89 species and belongs to the family of the Moraceae Gaudich (Mulberry Family). The plant is native to India, primarily in Kerala, but also in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. It is endemic to the Malabar, south and central parts of Western Ghats and Maharashtra Sahyadris. Some of the popular common names of the plants are Coffee-shade tree, Kerala boat-builders’ tree, Wild jack-fruit tree, Hirsute artocarpus, Wild Jack Fruit, Wild Jack, Aiyinipila, Aini-maram, Aani, Anhili, Anjili and Hebbalasu. It is…

Florida hopbush or broadleaf hopbush scientifically known as Dodonaea viscosa is a species of flowering plant in the Dodonaea (hopbush) genus. Dodonaea is part of Sapindaceae, the soapberry family. The plant is believed to have originated in Australia, but it occurs throughout the tropics and subtropics, widely distributed in temperate regions of Australia, Africa, Mexico, New Zealand, India, Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands, Florida, Arizona, South America and elsewhere. Some of the popular common names of the plants are Native Hops, Florida hopbush, Hopseed Bush, Varnish Leaf, Hopbush, Narrow-leaf hopbush, Wedge-leaf hop bush, broad leaf hopbush, candlewood, giant hopbush, sticky…

Strychnos potatorum commonly known as Clearing Nut or Water purifying fruit is a deciduous tree belonging to family Loganiaceae. The plant is native to tropical Africa, tropical Asia, eastern India, and eastern Myanmar, southern and central parts of India, Sri Lanka and Burma. Few of the popular common names of the plants are Clearing nut, Clearing nut tree, Induga, Water purifying fruit, Chillam, Mudanhapfunye, Nirmali, Tattan Kottei, Black bitterberry, Grape strychnos, Umlombelombe, water-filter nut, Ambu-prasada, Chillachettu, Chilladabeeja, Chillaginjalu, Chilu and Dupa. The plant has a variety of local medicinal uses and is also used locally to clarify water prior to…

Sium sisarum commonly known as skirret, crummock is a perennial plant of the family Apiaceae sometimes grown as a root vegetable. The plant is of Chinese origin, and is mostly cultivated in japan and also in Europe. Some of the popular common names of the plants are Skirret, Suikerwortel, Crummock, Zuckewurzel and chervin. The English name skirret is derived from the Middle English ‘skirwhit’ or ‘skirwort’, meaning ‘white root’, whereas the Germanic names all translate as ‘sugar root’. In Scotland it is known as crummock. Its Danish name sukkerrod, Dutch name suikerwortel. The name (sium) is from the Celtic siu…

Diospyros ebenum commonly known as Ceylon ebony is a species of tree in the genus Diospyros and the Ebenaceae Gürke (Ebony family). The plant is native to southern India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. It is best known for being one of the trees that yield ebony. The wood of this tree is called Ceylon Ebony or India Ebony, but often simply called “ebony”. Some of the popular common names of the plants are Ebony, Ceylon Ebony, Mauritius Ebony, Ebony Persimmon, Black Sapote, Ceylon ebeny tree, East Indian Ebony, Persimmon Ebony, Karingali, Karu, Mushtambi, Vayari, Ebans, Abnus, Ebony tree, Eba na,…

Salvia mellifera popularly known as black sage, also known as seel by the Mahuna is a small, highly aromatic, evergreen shrub of the genus Salvia (the sages) and Lamiaceae Martinov Martinov (Mint family). The plant is distributed in the Coast Ranges of California from Contra Costa and western Stanislaus counties southward into Baja California. It also occurs on the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California. Apart from black sage it is also known as Honey sage and Californian Black Sage. The origin of the common name, black sage, is disputed. Most sources give one or more of three…

Black Musli, Kali musli or Kali Musali scientifically known as Curculigo orchioides is an endangered flowering plant species in the genus Curculigo and Liliaceae Juss. (Lily family). The plant is native to Nepal, China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Papuasia, Micronesia, Malaysia and Australia. It is found in subtropical Himalayas from Kumaon eastwards ascending to 1800m, the Khasia hills, Bengal, Assam, Konkan, Kanara, the western peninsula and Tamil Nadu extending south as far as Cape Comerin. Some of the popular common names of the plants are Orchid palm grass, Black musale, Black Musli, Kali Musli, Nelamuli, Nelataale, Nilappane, Brahmin Ginseng, Golden Eye-Grass,…

Black-Honey Shrub scientifically known as Phyllanthus reticulatus is a much-branched climbing shrub belonging to Phyllanthaceae (Amla family). The plant is native to Old World tropics, from tropical Africa to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Indo-China, southern China, Thailand and South-East Asia, and south to Queensland (northern Australia). It has been introduced into the West Indies. It occurs throughout tropical Africa, except in the most humid, equatorial areas, and also in Egypt and northern South Africa. Some of the popular common names of the plants are Black-honey shrub, Reticulated leaf-flower, Black-berried feather foil, Potato-bush, Netted-leaved leaf-flower, Neernelli, Potato plant, Potato…

Spanish elm scientifically known as Cordia alliodora is a species of flowering tree in the borage family, Boraginaceae. The plant is native to dry and wet forest from Mexico and the Antilles to Brazil and Bolivia. It is now widely distributed in tropical America from northern Argentina to central Mexico and in the Caribbean islands. It has been introduced to Africa, Asia (Nepal, Sabah and Sri Lanka) and the Pacific region (Hawaii, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu). It is commonly known as Ecuador laurel, Spanish elm, cypre, laurel, salmwood, Onion Cordia, Laurel Blanco, Ecuador laurel, cordia, Brown silverballi, Satin wood, Silverballi,…

African Nutmeg scientifically known as Monodora myristica is a perennial plant belonging to Annonaceae or Custard-apple family of flowering plants. The plant is native to evergreen forests of the sub-Saharan African regions in West Africa from Angola, Benin, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and the Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda. Globally, the plant is widely distributed from Africa to Asia, Central and South America and Australia. In former times, its seeds were widely sold as an inexpensive nutmeg…

The New Zealand Flax scientifically known as Phormium tenax is a perennial, rhizomatous plant belongings to Agavaceae (Century-plant family). The plant is native to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. Several countries other than New Zealand have grown P. tenax as a commercial fiber crop, including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Japan, St Helena, the Azores, South Africa and Kenya. In some of these countries and in parts of the United Kingdom and Ireland it is now naturalized. In some areas of South Africa, the Hawaiian Islands, St Helena and the Azores, it has become a weed. Some of the popular common names…

Siratro scientifically known as Macroptilium atropurpureum is a tropical herbaceous dicot belonging to the Fabaceae / Leguminosae (Pea family). The plant is native to Central America (i.e. Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama), and South America (i.e. Texas), as well as the Caribbean Islands. It has been known to grow in some regions of southern North America, including Mexico and the USA in states such as Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Hawaii, as well as coastal regions in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, and scattered regions across Africa, Southeast Asia, Madagascar, India and the Pacific Islands. Few of…

Blumea balsamifera popularly known as Sambong is a flowering plant belonging to the genus Blumea of the family Asteraceae / Compositae. The plant is native to Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, Cambodia, Indo-China, southern China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines Christmas I., Himalaya, India, Jawa, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maluku, Burma (Myanmar), Nepal, New Guinea, Nicobar Is., Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. Few of the popular common names of the plants are Ngai Camphor Plant, Nagi Camphor, Blumea Camphor, Camphor Plant, Buffalo-ear, Ngai camphor shrub, Ngai camphor tree and sambong (also sembung). The plant has a long history…

Lathyrus aphaca, commonly known as the yellow pea or yellow vetchling, is an annual species in the Fabaceae / Leguminosae (Pea family). The plant mostly occurs in Western and Southern Europe, southern part of Central Europe, northern parts of Africa as well as in South-Western and Central Asia and introduced in North America, where it has scattered occurrences, mainly in the south and the west. In New England it has been collected only in Massachusetts. Apart from yellow pea it is also known as Yellow vetchling, Yellow pea, Yellow Vetch, Yellow peavine and Yellow-Flowered Pea. Genus name Lathyrus is the…

Kudzu or Kudzu Vine scientifically known as Pueraria Montana is a fast-growing perennial vine belonging to Fabaceae / Leguminosae (Pea family). The plant is noted for its rapid and invasive growth. The plant is native to East Asian countries (India, Indochina, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea.). Probably it is also native to, or an early introduction to, some western Pacific islands (i.e. Fiji, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu). It was introduced to South America and Southern United States, Africa, Central Asia, Ukraine and Caucasus. It is also present in…

Carthamus lanatus commonly known as Saffron thistle, Woolly distaff thistle or downy safflower is an erect, spiny plant belonging to Asteraceae / Compositae (Aster family) and is closely related to slender and spear thistles. It is closely related to safflower (Carthamus tinctorius). The plant is native to the Western Asia, southern Europe and Mediterranean region (i.e. Egypt, Turkey, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Switzerland, western Russia, Ukraine, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Yugoslavia, France and Portugal); it has spread to many temperate areas of the world, including the United States of America, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand and Australia. In Australia introduction of the plant…

Pterocarpus marsupium popularly known as Vijaysar in Hindi and Indian malabar or Indian Kino in English is an important medicinal tree belonging to Fabaceae / Leguminosae (Pea family). The plant is native to southern and eastern Asia. It is found in dry, hilly areas of Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Within India it is found in the hilly regions throughout the Deccan Peninsula (Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu) and extending to Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa. This species has a restricted global distribution occurring only in India and Sri Lanka. Within India, it…

Elaeagnus angustifolia, commonly called Russian olive, silver berry, oleaster, or wild olive, is a thorny shrub or small tree belonging to Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster family). The plant is native to western and central Asia, Iran, from southern Russia and Kazakhstan to Turkey, parts of Pakistan and parts of India. It was introduced to the United States in the early 1900s and became widely distributed due to its extensive use as an ornamental species in drier regions of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. Some of popular common names of the plant are Russian-olive, elaeagnus, oleaster, trebizond-date, silver berry, wild olive, autumn…

Kokum scientifically known as Garcinia indica is a tropical evergreen fruit-bearing tree belonging to Clusiaceae / Guttiferae (Mangosteen family). The plant is native to Asia, South Africa and Polynesia. It is extensively distributed along the Western Ghats of India and also found in the forests of Assam, Meghalaya and West Bengal. In the Western Ghats, the tree is mainly found along the costal belt of Konkan region of Ratna giri district of Maharashtra, Goa, Uttara Kannada, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada Districts of Karnataka and Kasaragod area of Kerala. Some of the popular common names of the plants are Brindonia tallow…

Elaeagnus commutata, popularly known as the silverberry or wolf-willow, is a deciduous shrub or a small tree belonging to Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster family). The plant is native to Alaska and the Yukon Territory, east to the Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories, and south through Canada from British Columbia to Quebec to Minnesota, South Dakota, Colorado, and Utah. It typically grows on dry to moist sandy and gravel soils in steppes, meadows or woodland edges. Some of the popular common names of the plants are Silverberry, silver buffaloberry, Wolf-willow, American silverberry, Silver elaeagnus and Wolfberry. The genus name Elaeagnus is…

The spindle tree scientifically known as Euonymus europaeus is a species of flowering plant in the Celastraceae (Bittersweet family). The plant is native throughout Europe and southeastern Asia, where it inhabits the edges of forest, hedges and gentle slopes, tending to thrive on nutrient-rich, chalky and salt-poor soils. Some of the popular common names of the plants are European spindletree, Common spindle, Spindle, Skewer wood, Spindletree, European euonymus, European spindle-tree, Spindle-Tree, Broad-leaved Spindle, prickwood, Skewerwood, Gatter, Gatten, Gadrose, Pigwood, Dogwood, Indian Arrowroot, Burning Bush and Wahoo. Genus name is an ancient Greek name referring to plants of this genus. Specific…

Fatsia japonica, commonly called Fatsia, paper plant, Japanese Fatsia or Japanese aralia, is a shade-loving shrub belonging to Araliaceae (Ginseng family). The genus was formerly classified within a broader interpretation of the related genus Aralia. The plant is native to southern Japan, southern Korea and Taiwan. Some of the popular common names of the plant are Fatsia, Japanese Fatsia, Japanese Aralia, Fatsi, Fig-Leaf Palm, Glossy-Leaved Paper Plant, Paperplant, Castor oil plant, Aralia, Glossy-leafed paper plant, false castor oil plant and Formosa rice tree. The name Fatsia comes from an approximation of the Japanese word for ‘eight’ (hachi in modern Romanization),…

Oenanthe aquatica, commonly called Water fennel or fine-leaved water dropwort, is an aquatic flowering plant belonging to Apiaceae / Umbelliferae (Carrot family) making it a relative of the carrot, fennel, dill, anise, caraway, angelica, (its odor is similar to that of water fennel), cow parsley, celery and many other plants which have flower heads which are clusters or umbels of flowers, and have fine, feathery leaves. The plant is native to marshes, shallow ponds and seasonally flooded lowlands in Europe, Asia and northern Africa. It has escaped cultivation and naturalized in Ohio and Maryland. Some of the well-known common names…

Cymbopogon nardus, commonly known as citronella grass, is a species of perennial aromatic plant from the Poaceae / Gramineae (Grass family). The plant is native to Southeast Asia and grown commercially in Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Indonesia and Java. It is widely naturalized in tropical Asia and grown as an ornamental in South Florida and southern California. Its native status in Africa is disputed. It is the source of an essential oil known as citronella oil, which is widely used for its natural insect-repelling properties. Some of the popular common names of the plants are Ceylon citronella, citronella, citronella grass,…

Lolium multiflorum popularly known as Annual ryegrass or Italian ryegrass is a cool season annual bunch grass belonging to Poaceae / Gramineae (Grass family). The plant is native to northern Africa (i.e. Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia), the Azores, the Madeira Islands, the Canary Islands, southern Europe (i.e. Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Romania, Yugoslavia, France, Portugal and Spain), western Asia (i.e. Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Turkey) and Pakistan. It has been introduced into North America, South America, New Zealand, Tasmania and in adjacent Canadian provinces. Some of the popular common names of the plant are Italian ryegrass, short rotation…

Porcupine flower or Kolinta scientifically known as Barleria prionitis is a single-stemmed shrub in the Acanthaceae (Acanthus family). The plant is native to tropical Asia including India, Malesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and in tropical Africa and Yemen. It is commonly found in the states of India include Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Diu and Daman, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Laccadive and Maldiv Islands, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Pudhucherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. It has been cultivated throughout the world as an ornamental plant, and has escaped from gardens…

Barbarea Verna popularly known as land cress, American cress, bank cress or black wood cress is a biennial herb in the Brassicaceae / Cruciferae (Mustard family). It is native to southern Europe and western Asia and naturalized elsewhere. It has been cultivated as a leaf vegetable in England since the 17th century. As it requires less water than watercress, it is easier to cultivate. Some of the popular common names of the plants are American cress, Belle Island cress, Early wintercress, Land cress, Scurvy-grass, American wintercress, Normandy cress, Common wintercress, Upland cress, Early yellowrocket, Early winter cress, American Winter Cress,…

Allamanda cathartica, commonly called golden trumpet, common trumpetvine, and yellow allamanda, is a species of flowering plant of the genus Allamanda in the Apocynaceae (Dogbane family). The plant is native to South America including Brazil, French Guyana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela. Outside its native range, it is widely naturalized and cultivated as an ornamental in warm, tropical and subtropical climates around the world, including Australia, Africa, China, Central America, West Indies, and numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean. This plant is cited in Flora Brasiliensis by Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius. Some of the well-known common names of the plants…

Dolichandrone spathacea, popularly known as tui or mangrove trumpet tree is a species of plant in the Bignoniaceae (Trumpet-creeper family). The plant is native to Southeast Asia, South India, and Sri Lanka to New Caledonia. Apart from mangrove trumpet tree it is also known as Tui and Singapore mangrove. The scientific name derives from the Greek words dolichos meaning long, and andron meaning male and referring to the long stamens of the flowers, and spathe meaning broad leaf blade. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood. It is sometimes…