Question 1

What is Bhesa ceylanica?

Accepted Answer

Bhesa ceylanica is an endemic tree species native exclusively to Sri Lanka, recognised within the island's catalogue of ayurvedic medicinal plants. It belongs to the family Centroplacaceae and is found primarily in wet-zone lowland and sub-montane forests.

Question 2

What are the medicinal uses of Bhesa ceylanica in Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

Bhesa ceylanica is documented in the Sri Lankan ayurvedic tradition, where various forest tree parts — bark, leaves, and roots — are used in traditional preparations. Specific applications are typically held by experienced vaidyas and recorded in traditional medical texts rather than mainstream clinical literature.

Question 3

Where does Bhesa ceylanica grow in Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

The species is found in humid, closed-canopy forests of Sri Lanka's wet zone, including lowland and sub-montane environments with high year-round rainfall. Habitats similar to those of the Sinharaja Forest Reserve are characteristic of where this endemic tree persists.

Question 4

Is Bhesa ceylanica an endangered species?

Accepted Answer

As an endemic species with a restricted natural range, Bhesa ceylanica is vulnerable to habitat loss through deforestation. Sri Lanka's endemic forest trees are monitored by conservation bodies including the IUCN, and the protection of remaining wet-zone forest patches is critical to their survival.

Question 5

What family does Bhesa ceylanica belong to?

Accepted Answer

Bhesa ceylanica is currently placed in the family Centroplacaceae. Historically it was classified within the Celastraceae, and taxonomic revisions over time reflect broader refinements in plant systematics across tropical Asian flora.

Question 6

Can I see Bhesa ceylanica when visiting Sri Lanka?

Accepted Answer

The species is more likely to be encountered during structured botanical surveys in wet-zone forests or at specialist botanical collections such as the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya. A naturalist guide with local expertise greatly improves the chances of identifying such rare endemic trees in the field.

Question 7

How does Bhesa ceylanica relate to Sri Lanka's ayurvedic heritage?

Accepted Answer

It is part of a large catalogue of forest-derived medicinal plants that underpin Sri Lanka's two-thousand-year-old ayurvedic tradition. Alongside better-known species, Bhesa ceylanica represents the depth of botanical knowledge embedded in Sri Lankan indigenous medicine and forest ecology.