Sinhala Plant names → Botanical names   සිංහල නම් → උද්භිද නම්


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ස්ථාන නාම සම් බන්ධ භාෂීය උද්භිදය ගැනය
Ethno-botany, an adjunct to Place-names studies
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වෙසෙස් ලිපි
සිතියම්
Place-names Maps
ගම්-නම් මුල් පිට
Place-names Main page
Sinhala Technical Terms
සිංහල තෙක්න වදන්

pitcher plant


This Page is UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Sinhala plant Names → Botany names

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Sri Lanka is a rare treasure of flora and fauna - the local names of plants etc., are the links of the ecology to the land's socio-culture, and its people. Learn it, enjoy it, and protect it.






Some References





A
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Sinhala NameBotany NameDetails
Ali katu Acacia tomentosa -
Andara
  • Katu Andara
  • Kukul-katu Andara
  • Mal Andara
  • Vanni Andara, Katu Andara etc
  • Kalau Andara, Lunu Andara, Katu andara
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Anoda, Anona
  • Beheth Anoda, Wal Anoda
  • Katu Anoda. Katu Aththa
  • Vaeli Anoda
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B
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Sinhala NameBotany NameDetails
Bandakka Abelmoschus esculentus -
Baabula, Gam Acacia Arabica -
C
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D
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Sinhala NameBotany NameDetails
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    Duru
  • Kalu Duru
  • Maa Duru
  • Wal duru, maa duru
  • Soo Duru
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E
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Sinhala NameBotany NameDetails
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F

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Sinhala NameBotany NameDetails
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G

Sinhala NameBotany NameDetails
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Baabula, Gam Acacia Arabica Also Katu-Kihiri
  • Acacia nilotica
  • H

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    Hingurupaththa vael Acacia caesia -
    I

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    J

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    K

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    Kapukinissa Abelmoschus angulosus -
    • Kihiriya, Rat Kihiriya
    • Ela Kihiriya
    • Katu Keena Katu Kihirya
    • Katu Kihiri
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    L

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    M

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    N
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    O

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    Olinda
    • Ela Olinda
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    P

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    Q

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    R

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    S

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    Seenidda Acacia concinna, Acacia farnesiana -
    T

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    U

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    V

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    W

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    X

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    Y

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    Z

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    Commercial and traditional 'alternative'-medicine preparations
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      There are several types of alternative medicine.
    • Medical systems based on earlier beliefs about the nature of matter and sickness. Thus ancient Indian, and Greek beliefs recognized the elements (earth, water, air, fire etc), and also the humours of the body (air, bile, phlegm etc) and their interactions as the cause of disease. The role of bacteria, viruses, and even the role of blood were not understood. However, since recognition and cure of deceases are largely empirical and practical, large bodies of herbal knowledge, intermingled with unsatisfactory theory, exist in such traditional practices.
    • Modern "invented" forms of alternative medicine, e.g., homeopathy are a very different matter. Here we quote Robert Parks, a scientist and science commentator attached to the University of Maryland.
      "The 18th century German inventor of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, believed in "vitalism," a spiritual essence that goes beyond physics or chemistry. This is by no means unusual; most people believe in spiritual or religious cures even today. "Medicine is most powerful," Hahnemann wrote, "when it communicates nothing material." Hahnemann's counter-intuitive solution was to eliminate the cure. This he did by sequential dilution. Alas, Loschmidt had not yet determined Avogadro's number. To be certain that "nothing material" remained, Hahnemann typically used a dilution of 30C. That is, the substance was diluted to one part in 100, shaken (not stirred) and then diluted one part in 100 again, 30 times. This would exceed the dilution limit of the entire Earth, which is to say it's a meaningless result. ..... Compare that to Oscillococcinum, which is also marketed as a homeopathic cold remedy. The active ingredient is an extract of the liver of the Barbary duck at a ridiculous dilution of 200C. That would exceed the dilution limit of the entire visible universe and is thus totally meaningless. The average consumer is totally unaware that he's shelling out 10 bucks for a teaspoon of sugar.
      [note by CDW for bot2sinhala : 1/100 repeated 30 times gives a dilution of (1/100)30, i.e., 1x10-32. That is, virtually not one molecule of the "medicine" would remain in any serving of medicine. Only the "belief" in the power of the medicine would be there to help the patient ]
    In the following we do not discuss homeopathic medications. Only Ayurvedic or popular Sri-Lankan herbal medicines are discussed.

    The listing of these preparations does NOT mean that we endorse them or that we have tested them.
    Adequate testing requires double-blind experiments in controlled clinical settings with good laboratory support. However, anecdotal evidence should not be simply discarded. They often provide an alternative, inexpensive treatment for many ailments, in a manner which is entirely at the control of the patient, usually based on intake of herbs, and change of life-style. However, the explanations as to why a medication works, offered in terms of thri-doasha theories like va, pith,sem, which do not recognize the role of microbes, viruses, genetics, and modern biochemistry are only of interest to the historian of science.

    Double-blind experiments enable one to evaluate the extent of the Placebo effect in the claimed efficacy of a drug. In a double-blind experiment, the same drug and a mock-up (fake) which looks/tastes/smells like the drug are given to two similar control groups of patients, without anyone knowing who is getting what. If the fake (i.e., the placebo) performs as well as the drug, then the drug is worthless. Sometimes double-blind experiments are done even at the level of in-vitro or animal tests, to eliminate any possible bias on the part of the experimentalists and technicians conducting the tests.

    Quack-detection - snake-oil vendors

    Purity of the ingreadients used, reproducibility of the preparation and consumer protection are very important.

    Experiments have revealed the presence of toxic ingredients like Lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), harmful alcohols (e.g., methanol, propanols etc)
    , as well as extreme variation in the fraction of active ingredients in commercial Ayurvedic preparations. This is due to lack of quality control. Some of these experiments have been done at Nawinna Ayur. center, Sri Lanka, as well as in WHO studies.
    Use of certain herbs, e.g., Aristolochia indica (Indian Birthwort) to attenuate fever, may be dangerous as it is believed to be carcinogenic, and contains aristolochic acid which is highly nephrotoxic. It has been claimed in a WHO report that Stephania tetranda should be used in herbal preparations instead of Aristolchia fanghi or A. Indica.

    It should be noted that the ancients failed to understand the toxic nature of mercury and other heavy metals Thus Ayurveda recommends Mercury as "the saviour of mankind" and deliberately uses it in many preparations. See the old Ayurvedic claim that physician who does not know how to use this merciful gift of God (Mercury) is an object of ridicule in society

    Article by PLNdeSilva, ex-chairman Ayurvedic Drugs Corp

    Herbal Preparation Details
    Chandraprabha Vati It contain Thippili (Piper longum), Gammiris (Pipper nigram), Ginger (Zingber offcinale), Kaluduru (Cyperus rotundus) etc. is taken orally (e.g., as two tablets), twice a day. It is a diuretic.

    Herbal Preparation Details
    Dashamoola aristaya, Dasamul arista, Dashamula Tonic It is a herbal preparation and contains about 63 herbs, plums, juggery (kitul molasses), honey and water. The name "Dashamoola" comes from the fact that it has ten main component herbs (dasa in Sinhala is ten). The ingredients are fermented for a month in a barrel. The result is a sweet wine (arishta) of exceptional taste. The medicine is claimed to have anti - inflammatory properties, and to be a calming agent. It is used for Back Pain/ Sciatica, other types of rheumatism, and many other ailments . The prescribed dosage is usually one tablespoon, twice daily, or sometimes one oz. before meals In Sri Lanka it contains,
    1. Aswenna - Alysicarpus vaginalis 2. Polpala - Aerva lanata 3. Ela batu - Solanum melongena 4. Katuwel batu - Solanum xanthocarpum 5. Heen Nerenchi (gokatu) - Tribulus terristris 6. Thotila - Oroxylum indicum 7. Beli fruit - Aegle marmelos 8. Eth demata - Gmelina arborea 9. Palol - Stereospermum suaveolens 10. Heen medi - Premna integrifolia (premna spinosa)
    Dashamoola in India is a concoction of the roots of Aegle marmelos, Gmelina arborea, Oroxylum indicum, Clerodendrum phlomidis, Stereospermum chelonoides, Desmodium gangeticum, Uraria picta, Solanum indicum, Solanum surattense and Tribulus terrestris. It can contain many other roots even upto a 100, even though the name is "Dashamoola", (or dasamoola, see under Dashamoola) and varies from region to region in India.
    Uncontrolled fermentation may lead to the presence of harmful alcohols (e.g., methanol).

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    Herbal Preparation Details
    Maellum, Maellum, Beheth Maellum, බෙහෙත් මැල්ලුම් Beheth Paste, beheth roti etc. See Beheth Mallum etc., for Traditional Sinhalese Orthopaedic treatments, by Ediriweera and Grerub, 2009
    Neelayadi Thailaya, Mahaa Neelayaadi thailaya Oil propsed for head massage and hair coloraton in the Indian sub-Continent. It is said to contain:
    • Indigofera tinctoria - Indigo (nil aevariya)
    • Cocos nucifera - Coconut oil (Pol thel), or Palm oil. Other oils are sometimes used.
    • Adenanthera pavonina- Madatiya tree. Some prescriptions require Red Sandalwood in the form of Rath-handun which is Pterocarpus santalinus (see write up).
    • Monochoria hastata -arrowleaf (moodu awara)
    • Acronychia pedunculata - -(ankenda)
    • Additonal ingredients are used locally. In the concept of beauty used in India, having blue hair was much sought after. This oil was probably an early form of hair dye based on indigo.

    Herbal Preparation Details
    Peyaava, Peyava, Peyawa, Pe~ya~va (where ~ indicates elongation of sound) A soluble, standardized commercial form of Peyava is sold under the name Samahan by Link Natural products. See under Samahan. remedy for colds, fever etc
    Praanajeeva, Pranajeeva, Pra~najeevaA herbal oil marketed by a private company [sethsuva (Pvt), 258/19 Vihara Mawathe, Batalanda Road, Makola South]. It costs about $12-15 for half a bottle (in 2009-2010). The label on the bottle attributes the following to the venerable monk (Ven. Vaga Gnanaloka Thera) who began the preparation of this medication, based on recipes said to be from an Ola-leaf manuscript: I say with confidence, after having consumed this oil for 20 years, that Pranajeeva oil will not only cure prevailing ailments, but that its daily intake will also boost one's immune system there by preventing other infections and diseases. It is my experience that within a short span of two minutes from the time of in-taking this oil the prevailing ailments and discomforts disappear. The reason for this type of effect that this oil has, according to my belief is that it is a proven, ancient cure and the fact that much care and interest are taken in the making of this oil and the correct herbs are always used.
    If a spoon of oil (about 25 cc) is swallowed by a patient, it goes into his tummy which has about 1000-3000 cc of fluid, depending on his/her size. The absorption of oil by the body happens only after the stomach passes the mixture of oil and gastric juices into the intestines. The intestines of most people are many meters long and contain much volume, and further dilution takes place.. So, the absorption of even a small amount oil into the body does NOT take place at least for about half an hour.
    • So the oil cannot act within a short span of two minutes, as claimed, from the time of in-taking this oil. Only the mind can act so fast.
    • Further, the oil is not ailment specific, but claimed to be good for "any ailment". Some write ups claim its efficacy for clearing blocked blood vessels, or even cancer
    Thus the placebo effect of the oil may be very important.


    Herbal Preparation Details
    Seetharama, or Seetha-Rama pills Small herbal pills given for fever, cold etc., and the herbal mixture seems to vary with different practitioners, and contains ingredients similar to various pe~ya~vas..
    Samahana, a commercial product (link Natural products) similar to Peyaava Peyava (Pe~ya~va, where ~ implies elongation) is a preparation containing fourteen different herbal ingredients including spices and condiments which are used in daily culinary preparations. The main ingredients of Pe~y~va are (as in Pas-panguva) are: Pathpadagam (Oldenlandia herbacea Linn.,Mollugo cerviana ), ginger, coriander, katuwelbatu (Solanum virginianum), pepper, sometimes cinnamon, liquorice. If "venivael-gaeta" (Coscinium fenestratum )is added to the Pe~ya~va, the preparation becomes bitter but it claimed to reduce fever. Used for colds, fevers etc


    Herbal Preparation Details
    Tripala, Tripala Kawatha, Thipal kasaaya, Tipal තිපල් This is even listed (page 211) in B. Clough's classic Sinhala-English dictionary of the 19th century.
    It contains Aralu (Terminalia chebula), Bulu (Terminalia belirica), and Nelli (Phyllanthus embelica) cooked together. regarded as a colon cleanser, and digestive aid to regulate obesity. This is taken orally, two tablespoons, one to three times a day. It is also commercially available as a tablet. Nelli is extremely rich in Vitamin C. The preparation has a mild laxative action and releases the heavy feeling after excessive eating.

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