Fragrant Water Lily?

Identifying specimens can be pretty hectic some times. It was really so when I tried to determine the identity of this aquatic plant which is very common in Sri Lanka. The same plant was describe by some as Fragrant Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata) and White Lotus  (Nymphaea lotus) by others online! Any way I believe this to be Fragrant Water Lily, and if it is, it must probably have been introduced during the colonial times. 

A Small Strech Of Forest In The Middle Of The City Of Kurunegala -1

I've decided to make a series of posts with my observations at the recent visit to the Ethugala rock in the middle of Kurunegala. Surrounding the rock is a small forest, the exact area of which I don't know yet. Nor do I know what type of forest it exactly   is yet, but I guess it to be a mix of lowland wet   and dry zone forests, with tall trees drown closely together, some canopy, but much less underbrush, ferns, orchids and moss.  See how the forest is grown on both sides of the twisting road that gets you to the top of the rock.

This palm, Caryota urens , is locally called Kithul.   A sugary fluid can be collected by manipulating the flower in a certain way,which is used to produce treacle, todi, and and jaggery.     

There is some vegetation on the rock surface too, but they are sort of pygmy, a natural bonsai effect caused by lack of soil to grow in.









This is a rare sight, a flowering Corypha umbraculifera (Talipot palm).(center of the pic) This palm bares a flower only once with in its lifetime, and considered a bad omen by local folks when it does.  

There is plenty of evidence that a considerable proportion of the forest is secondary forest, clearings and coconut palms.

All right, that's all for today, but, to be continued, stay put!

Bloomed In Spring