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Museum-Quality Botanical Art
by Maria Abeyesekere

Celebrating Nature’s Beauty Through Art

Maria Abeyesekere is a professional portrait artist with 35 years of experience, whose work has been inspired by the rich biodiversity of her surroundings. Living amidst endemic species and vibrant flora, Maria discovered a passion for botanical art, combining her artistic expertise with a deep appreciation for the natural world. Each painting is a delicate fusion of scientific accuracy and aesthetic mastery, making it highly sought after by collectors across the USA, United Kingdom, and Western Europe.

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Why Collect Maria’s Botanical Art

Botanical art by Maria is more than decoration—it’s an investment in nature, science, and timeless artistry. Collectors are drawn to her work for:

  • Exquisite Detail – Each flower, leaf, and stem is rendered with precision and care.

  • Artistic Excellence – The same skill used in her portraits and figurative works brings depth and emotion to botanical subjects.

  • Unique Inspiration – Endemic species and the vibrant natural landscapes where Maria resides inspire each original creation.

  • Legacy and Collectibility – Every piece comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, ensuring lasting value.

  • Tropical elegance

  • Global rarity

  • Scientific accuracy and cultural significance

  • Hand-drawn or painted originals

  • A4 to Large-scale works

  • Archival materials

  • Artist provenance

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→ Explore Original Botanical Art

Scientifically Accurate Botanical Art

Each botanical artwork is created with:

  • Careful botanical research

  • Accurate plant morphology

  • Detailed observation of flowers, leaves, buds, fruit, and structure

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Maria’s botanical paintings are suitable for:

  • Private estates

  • Garden rooms and libraries

  • Conservation-minded collections

  • Long-term fine art investment

  • Hospitality and Tourism related corporations

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This level of precision elevates the work beyond decoration into museum-grade botanical art.

Represented Sri Lanka at the Botanical Art Worldwide, India 2025

Ceylon Olive on a wall

Professionally framed to museum standards & Authenticated

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  • Delivered ready to hang

  • Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity

  • Carefully packed and shipped internationally

Large Botanical art - acrylic and pencils on  archival paper

Custom Botanical Art Commissions

Maria creates personalized artworks tailored to collector preferences. You can request specific endemic species or custom combinations, ideal for private collections or corporate spaces.

  • Endemic plants of Sri Lanka

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       A curated series of hyperrealism botanical artworks

       celebrating Sri Lanka’s very rare endemic plant species,

       including Rare and endemic orchids, Tropical flowering

       plants, Rainforest species and Medicinal and heritage plants

       native to Sri Lanka— one of the world’s most important

       biodiversity hotspots, home to a remarkable number of

       endemic plant species found nowhere else on Earth.

 

       Each artwork is scientifically accurate, aesthetically refined,

       and created to museum and collector standards. You can

       request specific endemic species or combinations of your

       choice to create a truly unique collection, ideal for private                 collectors or corporate spaces. 

       

       Endemic Flowering Plants of Sri Lanka

       Endemic Trees with Flowers

                  (Good for Larger-Scale Botanical Art)

      Endemic Dipterocarps (Large Forest Trees with Flowers)

      Endemic Orchids

      Endemic Fruits​           → Explore Rare Endemic Species

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  • Exotic Flora from Around the World

       Beautifully rendered plants from diverse regions for

       collectors seeking international botanical diversity.

         

Endemic orchid

Garcinia mangostana (Mangosteen/මැන්ගුස්ටීන් )

→ Explore Original Botanical Art

Maria's Each Botanical Artwork Includes​

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  •  Botanical research and scientific accuracy

  • Hyperrealism execution

  • Archival materials

  • Professional museum framing

  • Certificate of Authenticity

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Mediums

  • Oil

  • Acrylic

  • Colour Pencils

  • Graphite

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Sizes

  • From A4, A3 to larger than life

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Large botanical art paintings

Factors That Influence Price

Art prices aren’t just about size

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  • Artist Reputation & Exhibitions

       Works by artists shown in major botanical art exhibitions (e.g.,

        Society of Botanical Artists, major galleries) command higher prices.

 

  • Original Media & Technique

       Hand-painted or drawn on archival paper with framing and certificate

       of authenticity generally sells much higher than prints or digital

       reproductions.

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  • Rarity & Subject Matter

        Detailed studies of rare or endemic species often carry premium

         value for collectors interested in scientific and aesthetic significance.

         

  • Framing & Presentation

        Museum-quality framing and archival materials add to both visual

         appeal and collector value

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Unique Botanical Art Collections that can be commissioned-
List of Endemic Species of Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
list of several species that are endemic (found only in Sri Lanka) — meaning they naturally occur nowhere else in the world.

 

  • Endemic Orchids

      Sri Lanka’s Orchidaceae flora is diverse, and while comprehensive species-level lists are extensive, below are           

       confirmed names from scientific sources.

       

       Total species: Around 188–190 orchids recorded in Sri Lanka.
       Endemics: About 55 endemic orchid species according to botanical checklists      

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Confirmed Endemic Orchid Species of Sri Lanka

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Terrestrial / Saprophytic Orchids
These grow on the ground or in leaf litter and include some rare, leafless species

  • Gastrodia zeylanica – a saprophytic potato orchid, critically endangered.

  • Gastrodia gunatillekeorum – newly described rainforest species.

  • Gastrodia munasinghae – recently named Sri Lankan endemic.

  • Gastrodia thilakapremae – another recent endemic discovery.

  • Ipsea speciosa – the Daffodil Orchid, endemic and threatened in highland grasslands.

  • Malaxis discolor – purple-leaf ground orchid.

Epiphytic & Lithophytic Orchids

These species grow on trees or rocks:

  • Podochilus warnagalensis – small epiphytic/lithophytic orchid.

  • Vanilla moonii – Sri Lankan vanilla orchid

Notable endemics

  • Dendrobium maccarthiae

  • Anoectochilus setaceus

  • Habenaria crinifera

  • Bulbophyllum elliae

  • Eria zeylanica

Endemic Flowering Plants of Sri Lanka (Selected & Notable)

Sri Lanka has ~830 endemic flowering plant species. Below are key genera and representative species frequently cited in botany, conservation, and botanical art.

Endemic Herbs, Shrubs & Climbers

  • Impatiens spp. (over 100 endemic species)

    • Impatiens leptopoda

    • Impatiens appendiculata

    • Impatiens repens

  • Strobilanthes spp.

    • Strobilanthes lupulina

    • Strobilanthes gardneri

  • Osbeckia spp.

    • Osbeckia octandra

    • Osbeckia walkeri

  • Exacum trinervium (National Flower)

  • Hortonia angustifolia

  • Bhesa nitidissima

  • Kokoona zeylanica

  • Doona ovalifolia (also a dipterocarp)

  • Schumacheria castaneifolia

  • Gordonia zeylanica

Endemic Trees with Flowers (Non-Dipterocarp)

These are flowering trees endemic to Sri Lanka, many highly valued for ornamental, ecological, and artistic representation.

  • Schumacheria castaneifolia

  • Schumacheria alnifolia

  • Gordonia zeylanica

  • Mesua stylosa

  • Humboldtia laurifolia

  • Mangifera zeylanica

  • Syzygium rotundifolium

  • Syzygium assimile

  • Calophyllum walkeri

  • Cullenia rosayroana

  • Loxococcus rupicola (also a palm with flowers)

Endemic Dipterocarps of Sri Lanka

(Sri Lanka is a global hotspot for endemic Dipterocarpaceae)

Genus: Shorea (formerly Doona species included here taxonomically)

  • Shorea trapezifolia

  • Shorea zeylanica

  • Shorea megistophylla

  • Shorea disticha

  • Shorea affinis

  • Shorea congestiflora

Genus: Dipterocarpus

  • Dipterocarpus zeylanicus

  • Dipterocarpus hispidus

Genus: Vateria

  • Vateria copallifera (Hal)

Genus: Doona (traditional Sri Lankan usage still common)

  • Doona ovalifolia

  • Doona cordifolia

  • Doona gardneri

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Over 50 dipterocarp species in Sri Lanka are endemic, many restricted to lowland wet zone rainforests.

Endemic Fruits of Sri Lanka

(Trees and plants bearing edible or culturally significant fruits)

True Endemic Fruit Species

  • Mangifera zeylanica (Wild Sri Lankan mango)

  • Limonia acida var. zeylanica

  • Garcinia quaesita (Goraka – often considered endemic or near-endemic)

  • Garcinia terpnophylla

  • Syzygium rubicundum

  • Syzygium rotundifolium

  • Elaeocarpus serratus (Ceylon olive – endemic variety)

Endemic / Near-Endemic Forest Fruits

  • Baccaurea zeylanica

  • Flacourtia inermis (endemic form)

  • Palaquium rubiginosum

  • Diospyros ebenum (Ceylon ebony – fruiting tree)

Dovyalis hebecarpa (Ceylon Gooseberry/ කෙටැඹිල්ල and පුස්බේරිය)

Original Botanical Art

"Jenny" hyperrealism portrait painting by Maria Abeyesekere

See whether you are interested in Maria's other original Art

Private Enquiries

For commissions, acquisitions, or international collaborations:

Email: info@mariaabeyart.com


Location: Sri Lanka | Serving International Collectors

Timeless fine art created for collectors, families, and corporations who value excellence, discretion, and legacy.

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Portrait Commissions for Private Collectors
Museum-quality oil and graphite portraits created for collectors in the United States and Europe.

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Accessibility Statement

©  by Maria Abeyesekere & All rights reserved.​

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