Remarkable Trees in Sri Lanka
Kumbuk
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| Source: http://www.fallentreetimber.com/kumbuk.html |
The kumbuk is a stately pale-barked tree, which lines streams and riverbanks and grows on the shores of numerous dry zone tanks throughout the country. The tree has dense foliage that seasonally changes colour to many hues of red, orange and yellow before being shed. It bears a ridged pod that floats to facilitate waterborne propagation. Kumbuk is unsustainably exploited throughout the island for its attractive timber. This increasing demand results in the loss of an important stabilizing influence against the erosive power of water on stream and riverbanks. The overall impact on both soil and water conservation is substantial because this dominant hardwood disappears from important belts of riparian forest despite existing legislation.
Kaluwara
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| Source: http://www.imgrum.net/ |
Equally well-known by its English name, ebony, kaluwara is a tall elegant tree with small dark-green leaves and a near-black sometimes fluted trunk, giving an overall dark and brooding appearance. This slow growing tree bears small green fruit which attract birds. The tree native to dry and intermediate zones and has- suffered Unsustainable exploitation in modern times. The story ebony is evident the trail left Capable heart-wood. From furniture that-filled Dutch stately homes and Victorian mansions, to piano keys that were fashioned for the world's best piano’s, Ceylon ebony has been scattered around the globe. Considered to be of the finest quality of all the many unrelated woods that bear the name ebony, it remains in high demand. Today's a moratorium exists on the extraction of wild ebony and only curious can be made with existing, licensed stockpiles. Although the moratorium is an enlightened policy, serious abuse of existing laws takes place, and a thriving black market in the timber exists.
Mi
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| Source: https://herbleplantsrilanka.blogspot.com |
The mi tree grows to a massive size both in girth and height and it can live for centuries. It often grows as an emergent in lush riverine belts. Found in both the intermediate and dry zones, mi has a straight trunk with a moderately coarse grey bark of considerable economic importance since ancient times. The seed yield edible oil that was also once used in household lamps. The fruit is relished by many fruit eating birds and bats, and the flowers have an unmistakable pungent odour. The tree produces a water resistant hardwood traditionally used in the construction of river craft.
Timbiri
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| Source: https://dynilara.wordpress.com/ |
A tree belonging to the same genus as the kaluwara, timbiri has relatively dark foliage consisting of large, long leaves that display a red flush, with a charcoal-grey trunk that has a scalloped surface. The tree bears green globose fruit that ripen to a yellow-orange colour. This fruit has been traditionally used to dye fishing nets. The tree has a preference for riverbanks and often grows interspersed with kumbuk, making an attractive contrast with the latter. Some fine specimens grow on the shores of the many villus(waterholes) of Wilpattu.
Weera
Weera, with its pale, fluted trunk and thick foliage, forms substantial stands in dry zone forests. Found throughout the dry zone in undisturbed forest tracts weera probably out-numbers every other dry zone tree. It has shiny green leaves and attractive, seasonal, red ' berries. The tree yields a dense timber, which, ill modern times has been used in the manufacture of activated carbon and, in the past, railway sleepers, Weera is a conspicuous tree in the archaeological reservations of both Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa and in all dry zones national parks. Today all these trees are more important to the nation as components of standing forests that are critical in the conservation of valuable soil, water and wildlife resources as well as ameliorators of local climate.