First records on Floristics of the Avissawella Wet Zone

Botanic Gardens

Practical work • Course unit : BT 4034 /4035 (2013/2014)

Department of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo

• Contribution N. N. Munasinghe M. A. C. Madushani

N. V. Wijewantha, W. A. G. B. ChandrasenaM.S.A.E. Cooray, W. T. D. Abeywickrama

D.M.D.N..Dissanayaka, G. R. P. S. Karunaratne

P. N. Hewavitharana S.M.W. Ranwala

S. Rasakulendran A.G.S.Arambawaththa

I. A. D. N. Dilrukski

IntroductionAwissawella Wet Zone Botanic Gardens

Introduction• Illukkowita, Awissawella, Western province• 1st Wet Zone Botanical Gardens• Total area - 105 acres.

Objectives

• To place a historical record by revealing preliminary floristic details of the Avissawella Wet Zone Botanic gardens for the first time.

• To develop the first base map for ecological habitats of the site.

Methodology- vegetation sampling

• Woody plants-10 plots of 15 m ×15 m • Cover abundance of Herbs - Braun-Blanquet

scale using 20 plots of 2m x2m• The distribution of woody species - Profile

Diagrams• Most important species – IVI values• Geographic coordinates were obtained and

produced a map - using Arc view software.

Results • Most important woody species

Syzygium caryophyllatum (Dan) Litsea longifolia (Rath kara)Symplocos cochinchinensis (Bombu)Mallotus tetracoccus (Kanda)

• Common herbs Mimosa pudicaDesmodium spp.Urena lobata Axonopus spp. Spermacoce spp. Alysicarpus vaginalis

Profile diagram/distribution of the woody species of the arboretum

Developed by students

Site map

Things we learnt and improved

• Team work

Things we learn and improve

• Nature lovers

Things we learnt and improved

• Leadership

• Planning and decision making

Things we learnt and improved

• Communication skills• Flexibility among the members

Things we learnt and improved

• Fun

• Further investigation – conducted by Dept. of PLANT SCIENCES

Acknowledgement

• Dr. S. W. Ranwala incharge of the course unit BT 4034/4035

• Dept. of Plant Sciences • Staff of the Seethawaka botanic gardens

Thank you