By Ifham Nizam
The sky blue Water Lily, scientifically known as Nymphaea Nouchali, which is endemic to the country, has been named as the correct national flower of Sri Lanka.
The decision was taken yesterday by a committee of experts appointed, by Environment Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, to identify the genuine national flower, the Ministry’s Biodiversity Secretariat chief Ajith Silva told The Island.
He said that the plans are afoot to publish details along with the flower in all school textbooks following a recommendation by the committee.
The committee was appointed when an incorrect picture of the national flower was circulated amongst schools.
Silva said that they would forward their recommendations to the Cabinet shortly.
The controversy erupted when both, the Nil Manel, which is the declared National Flower and an imposter hybrid cousin, were mentioned in the recently launched book ‘Flowering Plants commonly encountered in Sri Lankan habitats’ by Dr. Sriyanie Miththapala, Dr. Siril Wijesundara and Dr. Janaki Galappatti.
The controversy cropped up in November, 2010 when Professor Deepthi Yakandawala, Professor in Botany of the Peradeniya University, revealed research establishing that although Nil Manel or Blue Water Lily is the national flower, the picture depicted it erroneously was that of Nymphaea capensis, Nymphaea caerulea or even a hybrid with Nymphaea micrantha.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=49052
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