Mee tree (Madhuca longifolia)
Mee is a native (a plant or animal that lives and reproduces in an area without any human intervention) deciduous tree, which grows to a height of 16-20m. Leaves are seen in whorls crowded at the terminal ends and are oblong in shape with a tapered base and apex. The flowers are fleshy, pale yellow in colour and are borne solitary but appear in groups. The fruit is a yellow ovoid-shaped berry. The crown is rounded with multiple branches. The bark is grey, vertically cracked and wrinkled, exfoliating in thin scales. It has a large spreading root system, of which some are superficial.
The importance of the Mee tree for local agriculture had been recognized by the rulers of ancient Sri Lanka. This is evidenced by the presence of a number of stone inscriptions which document rules and regulations pertaining to the protection of these trees. A pillar inscription installed by King Sena II (853-887AD) in Mihinthale prohibits the cutting of palm, coconut, Mee and tamarind trees at the top of the Mihinthale rock and asserts that violators would be fined (Ranawella, 2001) (Figure 1A). King Udaya III (935-938AD) banned the cutting down of coconut and banyan trees as stated in his inscription at Athakada (Ranawella, 2004). Cutting down of Mee and tamarind trees had been banned in the Buddannehela stone inscription belonging to King Sena III (938-946AD) (Ranawella, 2004). The Mihinthale slab inscription of King Mihindu IV forbade the cutting of trees including Mee and palm and decreed that offenders would be fined or put to work in irrigation work (Amarawansa, 1969) (Figure 1B). He further declared in the Abhayagiri slab inscription that lay people should not cut trees or plants (Ranawella, 2004) (Figure 2). The Puliyankulama slab inscription of Udamahaya states that palm and Mee trees should not be cut down (Wickremasinghe, 1912). The Kiribathwehera slab inscription installed by King Kashyapa IV (898-914AD) denotes a Mee tree as one of the borders of an area of land (Wickremasinghe, 1912). This could be due to the fact that Mee trees have a long lifespan owing to the fact that cutting down these trees are prohibited. The Mee tree and palm tree are also mentioned in the Aluthwewa pillar inscription commissioned by the same king (Ranawella, 2001).