BATTICALOA FORT:
Monday, December 3, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
STUDIO TIMES BULLETIN - OCTOBER 2012
DATURA (ATTANA)
Family: Solanaceae
Plant Description: Shrub or small tree; leaves simple, alternate; flowers single, pendent, trumpet-like or funnel-shaped to 1 ft long, 5-lobed at tip, white or yellow.
Origin: South America
Poisonous Part: Flowers, leaves, seeds.
Symptoms: Hallucinations, dry mouth, muscle weakness, increased blood pressure and pulse, fever, dilated pupils, paralysis.
Toxic Principle: Atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine.
- http://poisonouskp.blogspot.com/2009/08/datura.html
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
STUDIO TIMES BULLETIN - SEPT 2012
Gin Pol (Nypa fruiticans)
It is from this tree that Gintota got its name.
Uses: The long, feathery leaves of the Nipa palm are used by local
populations as roof material for thatched houses or dwellings. The leaves are
also used in many types of basketry and thatching. The inflorescence can be
tapped before it blooms to yield a sweet, edible sap collected to produce a
local alcoholic beverage called Tuba. Tuba is also stored in Tapayan (balloon vases)
for several weeks to make vinegar in the Philippines, commonly knowned as
Sukang Paombong (pure vinegar made from the province of Paombong, Bulacan).
Young shoots are also edible and the flower petals can be infused to make an
aromatic tisane. Attap chee ("chee" meaning "seed" in
several Chinese dialects) is a name for the immature fruits -- sweet,
translucent, gelatinous balls used as a dessert ingredient in Malaysia and
Singapore. On the islands of Roti and Savu, Nipah sap is fed to pigs during the
dry season. This is said to impart a sweet flavour to the meat. The young
leaves are used to wrap tobacco for smoking.
http://www.agri.ruh.ac.lk/medicinalplants/medicinal_plants/families/palmae/plants/gin_pol.html
Monday, August 6, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
STUDIO TIMES BULLETIN-JUNE 2012
PIDURANGALA ROCK
The Pidurangala
rock is situated about a mile north of Sigiriya. The caves at Pidurangala are
associated with the brief history of Sigiriya. Archaeological evidence
indicates that the caves had been used by Buddhist anchorites in pre-Christian
times. Close to the summit of the rock is a large cave in which reposed a
colossal image of the recumbent Buddha, made of brick and stucco. One of the
caves now serves as a vihara. Under its drip ledge is a record in Brahmi
script.
- The
Handbook for the Ceylon Traveller, a Studio Times publication
Sunday, May 13, 2012
STUDIO TIMES BULLETIN - MAY 2012
Maduru Oya Bisokotuwa (Photography-Anu Weerasuriya)
Kantale Tank Bisokutowa (Photography-Anu Weerasuriya)
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
STUDIO TIMES BULLETIN - APRIL 2012
Gonagolla Murals:
Gonagolla was once adorned with the most beautiful paintings in Ruhuna. A male and a female figure are all that remain, a maiden with a princely Bodhisattva at her side. The woman is the very image of a Sigiriya maiden. Curved and shapely, her eyes downcast, she clasps her hands together, worshipping the Bodhisattva beside her. Exquisite lines define the face, the eyes and the mouth. Softly drawn with skill and feeling, it is the sheer delicacy of these lines which makes the face so beautiful. According to an inscription on the rock, these frescoes were created during the 3rd century AC. - Adapted from Studio Times Publication Eloquence in Stone
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
STUDIO TIMES BULLETIN - FEBRUARY 2012
Gloriosa Superba. S: Niyangala. T: Akkinichilam, Anaravam, Illangali, Iradi
Photographed in Pidurangala - Anu Weerasuriya
A poisonous plant, the Gloriosa Superba is fairly common creeper in wild and semi-wild terrain.
Tubers of `niyangala', (Tamil: Akkinichilam, Anaravam, Illangali, Iradi), was a common suicidal poison in rural areas before pesticides were easily available. Accidental `niyangala' poisoning is also reported. All parts of the Niyangala plant are poisonous. Toxicity of `niyangala'is due mainly to the alkaloid colchicine. It is estimated that 10 g of the fresh tuber contains about 6 mg of colchicine. The lethal dose of colchicine varies from 6 to 20 mg. For children, the lethal dose in between 0.5 and 0.8 mg/kg. However, survival has been reported after ingestion of as much as 60 mg of colchicine. The toxicity is related to the irritant effects and the effects of colchicine on normal cell division.- http://www.cmb.ac.lk/academic/medi/dept/fmtoxi/toxico_projects/doc72.htm
Monday, January 2, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)