in Sri Lanka - Ministry of Environment

category (CR); three under Endangered category (EN), while the other two under Vulnerable(VU) category. Many of these species are restricted to the Kalutara and Ratnapura districts inthe low wetlands and the banks of the Mahaweli river in Gannoruwa-Hallolluwa area, Kandy.One of the six endemics in the genus Lagenandra is recognized under Critically Endangeredcategory (CR) while the others are under the Endangered category (EN). All these speciesare restricted to the wet zone and occur mainly along the river banks. Lagenandra erosade Wit is listed under the Critically Endangered category (CR) with concern as its locality isunknown. However, it evidently occurs in the wetzone of the country (http://crypts.home.xs4all.nl/Lagenandra/Gallery/distribution.html). Lagenandra thwaitesii Engler with a silver margin onits blade is restricted to Kalutara, Galle and Ratnapura districts, and has a high demand as anornamental aquatic. Woffia arrhiza (L.) Horkel ex Wimmer is a minute free-floating native plantof the family Araceae with a thallus of about 1 mm in width and is considered to be the smallestvascular plant on the earth. The plant produces a minute flower with a single stamen and pistil.It often multiplies vegetatively, where the rounded part buds off into a new individual. The plantoccurs in the North Central province and is considered Endangered (EN). The genus Lemnaharbors two species of which L. gibba L., recorded from Colombo, is now considered underProbably Extinct category (CR(PE)).The 69 species recorded in the family Cyperaceae are distributed among 17 genera whereCyperus records the highest number of 17 species, followed by the genus Fimbristylis (12species). The family includes five endemics, of which Eleocharis lankana T. Koyama confinedto lowland marshes, especially Colombo district, Fimbristylis zeylanica T. Koyama confined tothe marshes of the Wilpattu National Park and Mapania immersa (Thw.) Benth ex Clarke thatconfined to the Kalutara district are listed as Critically Endangered. In addition, three othernatives, Eleocharis confervoides (Poir.) T. Koyama, Rhynchospora chinensis Nees & Meyenex Nees and R. triflora Vahl are now considered under Probably Extinct category (CR(PE)).The family Scrophulariaceae bears 33 species belonging to 11 genera of which three areendemic. Adenosma subrepens (Thw.) Benth. ex Hook. f., a very highly threatened endemicrestricted to Ratnapura district, and Limnophila chinensis (Osbeck) Merr., a native confined towet places, including paddy fields, in the Kalutara and Badulla districts are now listed underthe Probably Extinct category (CR(PE)).The Grass family or the Poaceae records 30 species belonging to 20 genera with twoEndangered (EN) endemic species, Arundinaria densifolia Munro and Eulalia thwaitesii (Hack.)Kuntze; both are confined to Nuwara Eliya district.The family Eriocaulaceae with a capitulum-like inflorescence and wind pollinated flowerssuperficially resembles the grasses, sedges, and rushes. Five endemic members are among thesixteen aquatics in the genus Eriocaulon where one species, Eriocaulon fergusonii (Moldenke)S.M. Phillips, was recorded from marshlands of Colombo and Galle districts and is consideredunder Probably Extinct category (CR(PE)). Eriocaulon trimeni Hook.f. is a very rare speciesrecorded from the Matale district and is listed under Critically Endangered category (CR).The family Aponogetonaceae is represented by four members of the genus Aponogeton, withtwo endemic members. Aponogeton jacobsenii Bruggen is restricted to the highlands, especiallyNuwara Eliya and the Horton plains and considered as Critically Endangered while A. rigidifolius189