Sphaeranthus amaranthoides

A review of the floral composition and distribution of mangroves in Sri Lanka

Background

The article reviews literature on the numbers and distributions of Sri Lankan mangrove species and highlights the causes of overestimation. It also attempts to provide an accurate count based on standardized fieldwork over a 4-year period along the coast between Palatupana and Puttalam, Sri Lanka. The authors name some examples of mischaracterized or misidentified species from previous studies and address the importance of clearly defining the terms for mangroves.