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The willow that weeps
Anyone who knows Colombo would have noticed the tall trees which line both sides of Independence Avenue, standing to attention and providing a guard of honour to all those who pass along this street. These trees, the Indian Willow, have straight trunks with short branches which hang downwards, as if they are weeping and shameful.

The leaves of the Indian Willow are dagger shaped and upto 9 inches in length. They are shiny green and have wavy edges. The tree appears most attractive when the young leaves appear in their rusty hues, contrasting with the half grown yellow-green leaves and the old deep green leaves. The greenish flowers are tiny and star shaped and occur profusely between February and April but are not easily noticeable. Each flower produces a small fruit which attracts fruit bats by the hundreds. Look out for these bats which appear in “clamorous, squealing throngs…and cover a tree during the evening, leaving in the morning the nut-strewn ground as evidence of their orgy” (Flowering Tree and Shrubs in India by D.V. Cowen).

The tree described above is the cultivated variety. In contrast there is an indigenous variety found growing along the rivers in the dry and intermediate zones and in the low country wet zone. Arabian sailors used to sail up our rivers (like for instance the Menik Ganga) and harvest these trees for their long, straight trunks which were ideal for making masts for their ships. Hence the tree is also commonly referred to as the Mast Tree.

This variety can be seen in the wild along the banks of the Menik growing near Kumbuk trees. In particular look out for it near the Thalgasmankada bungalow in the Yala National Park. In Colombo you can see it along Independence Avenue from C.W.W. Kannangara Mw to the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station junction, while the cultivated variety which is found along the same road from the Police Station junction upto Independence Square.

Both varieties are known as Owila in Sinhalese and Asoththi in Tamil. The botanical name is Polyalthia longifolia. Polyalthia is from two Greek words “polys” meaning much and “altheo” meaning to cure. Thus this refers to the supposed medicinal properties of the tree. Longifolia in Latin means long leaved.

Compiled by: Ruk Rakaganno, The Tree Society of Sri Lanka, Tel: 2554438; email: rukraks@sltnet.lk

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