serendib_trees of sri lanka (jan&feb 2008)
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January/February 2008 www.srilankan.aero66 www.srilankan.aero January/February 2008 67
2. Tree Ferns, Horton Plains
National Park.
Large tree erns (Cyathea
crinita) at the edge o cloud
orest in Horton Plains
National Park. Sri Lanka’s
cloud orests harbour
impressive numbers o endemic
plants, and amphibian and bird
species. Tese tree erns are
endemic to Sri Lanka’s central
highlands and the southern
Western Ghats o India.
3. Bo Tree Leaves, Pelawatte.
Leaves o a Bo tree ( Ficus
religiosa) at a small temple
in the Colombo suburb o
Pelawatte. Tis species,
amously associated with the
enlightenment o Siddhartha
Gautama (Buddha), has the
greatest religious signicance
amongst all o Sri Lanka’s
plants.
4. Banyan, Colombo
University.
A large banyan ( Ficus
benghalensis) in ront o the
Department o Zoology at
Colombo University.
5. Ethagala Rock & Trees,
Kurunegala.
Moist deciduous orest grows
rom cracks on the exoliated
granite ace o Ethagala
(Elephant Rock) in Kurunegala.
Te large rock hill, rom which
the name ‘Kurunegala’ is
derived, has a commanding
view o this ormer capital o
Sri Lanka. Its orests and trees
provide a habitat or animals
and birds in a ast-growing
urban settlement.
Nature - Trees of Sri Lanka Nature - Trees of Sri Lanka
For a small island, Sri Lanka is blessedwith a diversity o habitats and vegetationzones. Te wet, dry, and intermediate zonesall have unique and distinctive plant lie.Sri Lanka’s trees are usually conned toone o these zones, although some speciesare spread more widely across the island.In the wet zone, where the centralhighlands are located, a wide varietyo trees and vegetation is based on the vertical contours of the landscape. Colombo and its environs were once dominated
by lowland rainorest vegetation, whilethe hilly area that surrounds Hatton andNuwara Eliya is known or its montaneand cloud orests. In many cultures, treeshave religious and spiritual signicance,with the Ficus species holy to Buddhistsand Hindus. Represented in this photoessay is a small sample o the great varietyand beauty o Sri Lanka’s trees. Te imagesorm an ongoing portolio o black andwhite images that Ian is putting togetheron Sri Lanka’s natural history heritage.
1. Elephants at
Viharamahadevi Park,
Colombo.
Mahouts and their elephants
rest in the shade o an
unidentied tree at
Viharamahadevi Park, in a
leay part o Colombo. Te
elephants are preparing to
participate in the annual
perahera (procession) o the
Gangaramaya temple beside
Beira Lake.
Trees of Sri LankaWords & photography by Ian Lockwood.
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1 & 2. Peradeniya Java Fig,Peradeniya Botanical Gardens.Tis enormous Java g ( Ficusbenjamina) is a ocal point at therenowned Royal Botanic Gardens,Peradeniya, near Kandy. It is aspecies that is oten used as a pottedornamental plant in tropical andtemperate climates. Te specimenat Peradeniya has been allowed tospread over an area o 2,500 squaremetres.
3. Rain trees on Reid Avenue,Colombo.rac on Reid Avenue, in asalubrious suburb o Colombo, fowsbusily under the arches o giant raintrees ( Albizia saman). Unlike manyAsian cities, Colombo retains manyo the large shade trees that wereplanted in colonial times to reduceheat and improve the quality o air.
Nature - Trees of Sri LankaNature - Trees of Sri Lanka
A Floral Oasis.Te Royal Botanic Gardens,Peradeniya is only a short tuk-tuk riderom the centre o Kandy. Open daily,it is second only to London’s KewGardens in terms o fora and aunadiversity. Pack a picnic and makea day o exploring the 4,000 speciesto be ound in its 59 hectares.Highlights include the palm avenueand spice gardens, 300 t ypes o orchid,a rare double coconut, and colonyo resident ruit bats.
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euroscan
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1. Calophyllum walkeri in Mist, Horton PlainsNational Park.A clump o large Calophyllumwalkeri trees stands out amidstcloud orest ‘dieback’ in HortonPlains National Park. Ecologistsare unsure o why thisundisturbed habitat hasexperienced signicant diebackin the last ew decades, withclimate change and acidprecipitation having beensuggested as possible causes.
2. Shade tree in tea estate,Knuckles Range.Rain tree ( Albizia saman) grownor shade in a tea estate on theedge o the remote KnucklesConservation Area.
Nature - Trees of Sri Lanka
Ian Lockwood teaches geography and environmental
systems at the Overseas School of Colombo.
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preemadasa