A post circulating on social media blames the current government for destroying the ‘NYMPHAEA STELLATA’, one of the four trees left in the world. The tree is said to have been on the Chokkadichola border at Udawalawe and had been destroyed when the land had been cleared for yellow clove cultivation.

Investigations into the incident revealed that no area called Chokkadichola was in the Udawalawe area. The Ratnapura Regional Wildlife Office also confirmed that there was no region called Chokkadichola in the Udawalawe reserve.

Further research revealed that the scientific name of the plant mentioned in the post, ‘NYMPHAEA STELLATA’ is the scientific name that referred to an aquatic plant species belonging to the genus Lily. The image shows a tree with a large trunk and it appears that it may not be the tree named above.

This confirms the falsity of the news that had been in circulation with no proper base.