Question 1

What family does Eurya nitida var. nitida belong to?

Accepted Answer

Eurya nitida var. nitida belongs to the family Pentaphylacaceae, which was historically classified under Theaceae (the tea family). It is a small evergreen shrub or tree found across tropical and subtropical Asia, including Sri Lanka.

Question 2

What does 'nitida' mean in the plant name Eurya nitida?

Accepted Answer

The word 'nitida' is Latin for 'shining' or 'glossy,' referring to the characteristic smooth, lustrous appearance of the plant's leaves. The genus name 'Eurya' derives from Greek, meaning 'broad,' typically describing leaf form.

Question 3

Where in Sri Lanka is Eurya nitida var. nitida found?

Accepted Answer

The plant is found primarily in the wet and intermediate climatic zones of Sri Lanka, particularly in moist forest understorey and forest-margin habitats. It is associated with montane and sub-montane forest ecosystems in the central and southwestern parts of the island.

Question 4

Is Eurya nitida var. nitida used in ayurvedic medicine?

Accepted Answer

It is catalogued within Sri Lanka's national ayurvedic medicinal plant inventory, which formally recognises species noted by traditional practitioners. Specific therapeutic applications in Sri Lankan practice are specialised, and broader pharmacological research into the Eurya genus is ongoing across Asia.

Question 5

What is the Sri Lanka plant code LK94005721?

Accepted Answer

LK94005721 is the unique identifier assigned to Eurya nitida var. nitida within Sri Lanka's national botanical classification system. This code is used to catalogue and reference the species in official records, including the national ayurvedic medicinal plant database.

Question 6

Is Eurya nitida related to the tea plant used to make Ceylon tea?

Accepted Answer

There is a distant botanical relationship. Eurya belongs to Pentaphylacaceae, a family formerly grouped under Theaceae, which also contains the genus Camellia — the source of all commercial tea. They are not the same plant, but they share an evolutionary lineage within flowering plant taxonomy.

Question 7

How many medicinal plants are catalogued in Sri Lanka's ayurvedic plant inventory?

Accepted Answer

Sri Lanka's ayurvedic medicinal plant catalogue encompasses hundreds of native and naturalised species, reflecting the country's exceptional plant biodiversity. Roughly a third of Sri Lanka's flowering plants are endemic, making the island one of the most botanically significant in Asia relative to its land area.