Herbs | SL Flora

SL Flora


Medicinal Plants in Sri Lanka

Like in China and India, Sri Lanka Ayurveda medicine has a long and rich history about 2500 years but it got lost because development of the western medicinal system after 19 century. Other reasons of recession of Ayurveda are extinction of the herbal plant due to human activities so difficulty obtain the necessary plant and haven’t appropriate awareness to identify the correct medicinal plant. In Sri Lanka, has more than 2000 of herbal plants. Nowadays, about 300 of them are generally used in the Ayurveda medicine. Some of these plant are similar appearance but ingredient is versatile so some time may be toxin. Therefore identifying the correct plant is a very important matter in the Ayurveda medicine. Also, some species, which introduced exotic weed plants now naturalized throughout Sri Lanka, are strong threat to the identification of correct indigenous medicinal plant of the country. Even these exotic weeds are naturalized by naturally or some human activities in the world and may be damage to the natural ecosystem. Asantica giganica and Aligator weed are the good example to the exotic weeds. However, about 100 of exotic weeds and ornamental plants are affiliate to the ecosystem annually.

On These Pages

You can find information such as pictures of flowers, leaves and other parts of the herbal plants, general information of Scientific names, Common names, in Sinhala names, ordinary information of use for as a herb or culinary purpose, and guide to identify a correct plant.

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