Couroupita guianensis

Couroupita guianensis, whose common names include Ayahuma and the Cannonball Tree, is an evergreen tree allied to the Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsa), and is native to tropical northern South America and to the southern Caribbean. In India it is growing for the past two or three thousand years at least, as attested by textual records, hence it is possible that it was native to India also. It's part of the family Lecythidaceae and grows up to 25m in height. The Cannonball Tree is so-called because of its brown cannon ball-like fruits. The majority of these trees outside their natural environment have been planted as a botanical curiosity, as they grow very large, distinctive flowers. Its flowers are orange, scarlet and pink in color, and form large bunches measuring up to 3 m in length. They produce large spherical and woody fruits ranging from 15 to 24 cm in diameter, containing up to 200 or 300 seeds apiece.
This is the flower of the cannon ball tree or 'sal' tree. The Sinhalese hold the flowers sacred, since they appear to comprise of a tiny dagoba, shaded by a cobra's hood and surrounded by tiny florets which are thought to represent a crowd of worshippers.

Ritigala mountain range
Ritigala mountain range consists of four peaks of which the main and the highest peak at the south of the range is named Ritigala Kanda. Ritigala mountain range, a 3776-acre (1582 ha) Strict Nature Reserve, one of the well inventoried bio diversity hot spots in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka is managed by Department of Wildlife of Sri Lanka together with Forest Department of Sri Lanka.

Ritigala Kanda rises to an elevation higher than the other main tourist attractions of north central plains, namely Sigiriya, Dambulla and Mihintale. Then again at an altitude of 2513 ft, Ritigala Kanda is comparatively a low mountain. The significance of this topographical feature lies in the cumulative effect of abrupt sheerness of the massif, its wooded slopes and wet microclimate at the summit. During the North East monsoon (December to February), Ritigala experiences the highest rainfall (125 cm) of entire dry zone. The combination of mist and cloud which encapsulate the crest during South-West monsoon (May to September) results in a high vapor condensation, and therefore, a moist earth at a time when the plain below is gripped in drought.

The wet micro climate therein at Ritigala is a singular occurrence in the north central plains, the ancient Sri Lanka’s “Wewe Bandi Rata” meaning “the land of rainwater reservoirs” in Sinhalese. Then again, Ritigala is steeped in history, woven in legend and epic and shrouded in mythology and mist.

In spite of its enormous significance, Ritigala remains one of the numerous “off the beaten track” culture and eco travel destinations of Sri Lanka. Ritigala isn’t alone in its degrading fate: numerous other tourist attractions, destinations of immense ecological and cultural value have been faded out in view of the splendor and grandeur of UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla. That is in spite of most of such “off the beaten track” eco and culture destinations being located within the convenient circuit of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle itself. With all its diversity in topography, geography, terrain & climate, Sri Lanka being a compact island of just 65,525 square kilometers (25,299 Sq. miles), traveling from one site to other wouldn't be too tiring or time killing. It is always few hours drive even when arriving at sharply contrasting terrain & climate