Lantana
Encyclopedia
Lantana is a genus
of about 150 species
of perennial
flowering plant
s in the verbena
family, Verbenaceae
. They are native to tropical
regions of the Americas
and Africa
but exist as an introduced species
in numerous areas, especially in the Australia
n-Pacific
region. The genus includes both herbaceous
plants and shrub
s growing to 0.5–2 m (1.6–6.6 ft) tall. Their common names are shrub verbenas or lantanas. The generic name originated in Late Latin
, where it refers to the unrelated Viburnum lantana
.
Lantana's aromatic flower
clusters (called umbel
s) are a mix of red, orange, yellow, or blue and white florets. Other colors exist as new varieties are being selected. The flowers typically change color as they mature, resulting in inflorescence
s that are two- or three-colored. A common name for Lantana camara is "Ham 'n Eggs" due to the adjacent pink and yellow inflorescences.
"Wild lantanas" are plants of the unrelated genus Abronia
, usually called "sand-verbenas".
Some species are invasive
, and are considered to be noxious weeds, such as in South Asia
, Southern Africa
and Australia
. In the United States
, lantanas are naturalized in the southeast
, especially coastal regions of the Carolinas
, Georgia
, Florida
, and the Gulf Coast
where the yellow and orange variety is often known as "ham and eggs."
The spread of lantana is aided by the characteristic of their leaves, which are somewhat poisonous to most animals, while their fruit is a delicacy for many bird
s which distribute
the seeds. Birds like the Yellow-fronted White-eye
of Vanuatu
, the Superb Fairy-wren
in Australia, or the Mauritius Bulbul
in the Mascarenes thus unwittingly contribute to the degradation of their home ecosystem
.
Biological control of introduced lantanas has been attempted, without robust success. In Australia, about 30 insects have been introduced in an attempt to control the spread of lantanas, and this has caused problems of its own. The Lantana Bug (Aconophora compressa) for example is a polyphagous species introduced in 1995 that feeds on dozens of plants, and not only has it failed to have a noticeable impact on the lantana population, it has even become a pest in horticulture, parasitizing the related fiddlewoods (Citharexylum
). The small Lantana-feeding moth
s Epinotia lantana and Lantanophaga pusillidactyla
, while not becoming pests, have nonetheless failed to stem the spread of the invasive weed, as has the Lantana Scrub-hairstreak butterfly
(Strymon bazochii
) which was introduced to control lantanas on the Hawaiian Islands
.
Other Lepidoptera
whose caterpillar
s feed on Lantana species include the Common Splendid Ghost Moth (Aenetus ligniveren
), Aenetus scotti, Endoclita malabaricus, Hypercompe orsa and the Setaceous Hebrew Character
(Xestia c-nigrum). The Swamp Wallaby
(Wallabia bicolor) is one of the few mammal
s that eat Lantana leaves without apparent ill effect.
As a positive aspect, lantanas are useful as honey plants, and Spanish Flag (L. camara
), L. lilacina and L. trifolia are sometimes planted for this purpose, or in butterfly gardening
. Butterflies which are attracted to lantana flowers are most notably Papilioninae
(swallowtail and birdwing butterflies). Hesperiidae (skippers) and certain brush-footed butterflies
(namely Danainae and Heliconiinae
), as well as some Pieridae
(e.g. Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae) and Lycaenidae
(e.g. the aforementioned Lantana Scrub-hairstreak
), also like to visit the plants' flowers. Consequently, as total eradication of Lantana seems often impossible, it may in many cases be better to simply remove plants with immature (green) fruit to prevent them from spreading.
Some weaverbirds, e.g. the Black-throated Weaver
(Ploceus benghalensis) and the Streaked Weaver
(P. manyar), highly value Lantana flowers for decorating their nests. An ability to procure spectacular and innovative decorations appears to be desired by females, and consequently is an indicator of the males' fitness
.
Ceratobasidium cornigerum
is a higher fungus
which parasitizes Lantana among other plants. The Sweet Potato Whitefly
(Bemisia tabaci) is a common greenhouse
pest and is often distributed with infested lantanas.
Lantana species, especially L. camara, contain pentacyclic triterpenoids
that cause hepatotoxicity
and photosensitivity when ingested by grazing animals such as sheep
, goat
s, bovines
, and horse
s. This has led to widespread livestock
loss in the United States, South Africa, India, Mexico, and Australia.
and subtropical
environments and (as an annual plant
) in temperate
climates.
Most of the plants sold as lantana are either Spanish Flag (L. camara
), Trailing Lantana (L. montevidensis
), or hybrids between the two. L. camara is the most common species in cultivation. Numerous cultivar
s of this species exist, including 'Irene', 'Christine' and 'Dallas Red' (all tall-growing cultivars) and several recently introduced shorter ones. The shorter cultivars may flower more prolifically than the taller ones. L. montevidensis gives blue (or white) flowers all year round. Its foliage is dark green and has a distinct odor.
Although lantanas are generally hardy and, being somewhat toxic
, are usually rejected by herbivore
s, they may still become infested with pests. However, pest control insecticidal soap
s are harmful to these plants.
Lantana berries
are edible when ripe though like many fruit are mildly poison
ous if eaten while still green.
Though the stems even of larger Lantanas are thin, the wood
is very tough and durable and thus useful for various handicraft
s such as wicker
work. The Soliga
of Karnataka
(India
) are nowadays utilizing Lantana in their wickercraft. The plant is an invasive weed there, and has displaced much of the bamboo
which formerly was the preferred material for Soliga artisans. By selectively harvesting lantanas for their craft, they are again able to make a living, as well as assisting the recovery of the native ecosystem and reducing the risk of wildfire
s.
Extracts of Lantana camara may be used for protection of cabbage against the aphid
Lipaphis erysimi.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of about 150 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the verbena
Verbena
Verbena , verbenas or vervains, is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 250 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the New World from Canada south to southern Chile, but some are also native in the Old...
family, Verbenaceae
Verbenaceae
Verbenaceae, commonly known as the verbena family or vervain family, is a family of mainly tropical flowering plants. It contains trees, shrubs and herbs notable for heads, spikes, or clusters of small flowers, many of which have an aromatic smell.Recent phylogenetic studies have shown that...
. They are native to tropical
Tropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
regions of the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
but exist as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
in numerous areas, especially in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n-Pacific
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
region. The genus includes both herbaceous
Herbaceous plant
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
plants and shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s growing to 0.5–2 m (1.6–6.6 ft) tall. Their common names are shrub verbenas or lantanas. The generic name originated in Late Latin
Late Latin
Late Latin is the scholarly name for the written Latin of Late Antiquity. The English dictionary definition of Late Latin dates this period from the 3rd to the 6th centuries AD extending in Spain to the 7th. This somewhat ambiguously defined period fits between Classical Latin and Medieval Latin...
, where it refers to the unrelated Viburnum lantana
Viburnum lantana
Viburnum lantana is a species of Viburnum, native to central, southern and western Europe , northwest Africa, and southwestern Asia. The vigorous deciduous european treelike shrub is common along waysides. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 4-5 m tall...
.
Lantana's aromatic flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
clusters (called umbel
Umbel
An umbel is an inflorescence which consists of a number of short flower stalks which are equal in length and spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs....
s) are a mix of red, orange, yellow, or blue and white florets. Other colors exist as new varieties are being selected. The flowers typically change color as they mature, resulting in inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s that are two- or three-colored. A common name for Lantana camara is "Ham 'n Eggs" due to the adjacent pink and yellow inflorescences.
"Wild lantanas" are plants of the unrelated genus Abronia
Abronia (plant)
Abronia, the sand-verbenas or wild lantanas, is a genus of about 20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the family Nyctaginaceae. Despite the common names, they are not related to Verbena or lantanas in the family Verbenaceae...
, usually called "sand-verbenas".
Ecology
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
, and are considered to be noxious weeds, such as in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
, Southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, lantanas are naturalized in the southeast
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, especially coastal regions of the Carolinas
The Carolinas
The Carolinas is a term used in the United States to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina. Together, the two states + have a population of 13,942,126. "Carolina" would be the fifth most populous state behind California, Texas, New York, and Florida...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and the Gulf Coast
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, sometimes referred to as the Gulf South, South Coast, or 3rd Coast, comprises the coasts of American states that are on the Gulf of Mexico, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and are known as the Gulf States...
where the yellow and orange variety is often known as "ham and eggs."
The spread of lantana is aided by the characteristic of their leaves, which are somewhat poisonous to most animals, while their fruit is a delicacy for many bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s which distribute
Seed dispersal
Seed dispersal is the movement or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have limited mobility and consequently rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their propagules, including both abiotic and biotic vectors. Seeds can be dispersed away from the parent plant...
the seeds. Birds like the Yellow-fronted White-eye
Yellow-fronted White-eye
The Vanuatu White-eye or Yellow-fronted White-eye is a small passerine bird belonging to the genus Zosterops in the white-eye family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to Vanuatu where it is one of the most common birds....
of Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
, the Superb Fairy-wren
Superb Fairy-wren
The Superb Fairywren , also known as the Superb Blue-wren or colloquially as the Blue Wren, is a passerine bird of the Maluridae family, common and familiar across south-eastern Australia...
in Australia, or the Mauritius Bulbul
Mauritius Bulbul
The Mauritius Bulbul , also known as Mauritius Black Bulbul, is a songbird endemic to Mauritius. Formerly, it was included in H. borbonicus as subspecies olivaceus....
in the Mascarenes thus unwittingly contribute to the degradation of their home ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
.
Biological control of introduced lantanas has been attempted, without robust success. In Australia, about 30 insects have been introduced in an attempt to control the spread of lantanas, and this has caused problems of its own. The Lantana Bug (Aconophora compressa) for example is a polyphagous species introduced in 1995 that feeds on dozens of plants, and not only has it failed to have a noticeable impact on the lantana population, it has even become a pest in horticulture, parasitizing the related fiddlewoods (Citharexylum
Citharexylum
Citharexylum is a genus of flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. It contains 70 to 100 shrub and tree species commonly known as Fiddlewoods or Zitherwoods. They are native to the Americas, ranging from southern Florida and Texas in the United States to Argentina. The highest...
). The small Lantana-feeding moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
s Epinotia lantana and Lantanophaga pusillidactyla
Lantanophaga pusillidactyla
The Lantana Plume Moth is a moth of the Pterophoridae family. It is native to the southern United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. It was introduced to Australia accidentally in 1936 and is now found from Sydney to Cairns along the coast...
, while not becoming pests, have nonetheless failed to stem the spread of the invasive weed, as has the Lantana Scrub-hairstreak butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
(Strymon bazochii
Strymon bazochii
The Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak or Smaller Lantana Butterfly is a butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found from Paraguay north through Central America, the West Indies and Mexico to southern Texas. It was introduced to Hawaii in 1902 to control lantana, in which it has proven unsuccessful.The...
) which was introduced to control lantanas on the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
.
Other Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
whose caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s feed on Lantana species include the Common Splendid Ghost Moth (Aenetus ligniveren
Aenetus ligniveren
The Common Splendid Ghost Moth is a moth in the Hepialidae family. It is found from southern Queensland to Tasmania....
), Aenetus scotti, Endoclita malabaricus, Hypercompe orsa and the Setaceous Hebrew Character
Setaceous Hebrew Character
The Setaceous Hebrew Character is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in the Palearctic ecozone. It is a common species throughout Europe. It is also found in North America, from coast to coast across Canada and the northern United States to western Alaska. It occurs in the Rocky Mountains...
(Xestia c-nigrum). The Swamp Wallaby
Swamp Wallaby
The Swamp Wallaby is a small macropod marsupial of eastern Australia. This wallaby is also commonly known as the Black Wallaby, with other names including Black-tailed Wallaby, Fern Wallaby, Black Pademelon, Stinker , and Black Stinker...
(Wallabia bicolor) is one of the few mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s that eat Lantana leaves without apparent ill effect.
As a positive aspect, lantanas are useful as honey plants, and Spanish Flag (L. camara
Lantana camara
Lantana camara, also known as Spanish Flag or West Indian Lantana, is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, that is native to the American tropics. It has been introduced into other parts of the world as an ornamental plant and is considered an invasive species in many...
), L. lilacina and L. trifolia are sometimes planted for this purpose, or in butterfly gardening
Butterfly gardening
Butterfly gardening is a growing school of gardening, specifically wildlife gardening, that is aimed at creating an environment that attracts butterflies, as well as certain moths, such as those in the Hemaris genus. Butterfly gardening is often aimed at inviting those butterflies and moths to lay...
. Butterflies which are attracted to lantana flowers are most notably Papilioninae
Papilioninae
Papilioninae is a subfamily of the butterfly family Papilionidae. Papilioninae occurs world wide with most of the species being found in the tropics. There are roughly 480 species, of which 27 occur in North America.-References:...
(swallowtail and birdwing butterflies). Hesperiidae (skippers) and certain brush-footed butterflies
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called...
(namely Danainae and Heliconiinae
Heliconiinae
The Heliconiinae, commonly called heliconians or longwings, are a subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies . They can be divided into 45-50 genera and were sometimes treated as a separate family Heliconiidae within the Papilionoidea...
), as well as some Pieridae
Pieridae
The Pieridae are a large family of butterflies with about 76 genera containing approximately 1,100 species, mostly from tropical Africa and Asia. Most pierid butterflies are white, yellow or orange in coloration, often with black spots...
(e.g. Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae) and Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
(e.g. the aforementioned Lantana Scrub-hairstreak
Strymon bazochii
The Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak or Smaller Lantana Butterfly is a butterfly in the Lycaenidae family. It is found from Paraguay north through Central America, the West Indies and Mexico to southern Texas. It was introduced to Hawaii in 1902 to control lantana, in which it has proven unsuccessful.The...
), also like to visit the plants' flowers. Consequently, as total eradication of Lantana seems often impossible, it may in many cases be better to simply remove plants with immature (green) fruit to prevent them from spreading.
Some weaverbirds, e.g. the Black-throated Weaver
Black-throated Weaver
The Black-breasted Weaver, also known as the Bengal Weaver or Black-throated Weaver , is a weaver resident in the northern river plains of the Indian subcontinent...
(Ploceus benghalensis) and the Streaked Weaver
Streaked Weaver
The Streaked Weaver is a species of weaver bird found in South Asia. These are not as common as the Baya Weaver but are similar looking but have streaked underparts.They nest in small colonies often in reed beds near water bodies....
(P. manyar), highly value Lantana flowers for decorating their nests. An ability to procure spectacular and innovative decorations appears to be desired by females, and consequently is an indicator of the males' fitness
Fitness (biology)
Fitness is a central idea in evolutionary theory. It can be defined either with respect to a genotype or to a phenotype in a given environment...
.
Ceratobasidium cornigerum
Ceratobasidium cornigerum
Ceratobasidium cornigerum is a species of fungus in the order Cantharellales. Basidiocarps are thin, spread on the substrate out like a film and web-like. A Rhizoctonia-like anamorphic state, sometimes referred to the genus Ceratorhiza, is frequently obtained when isolates are cultured...
is a higher fungus
Basidiomycota
Basidiomycota is one of two large phyla that, together with the Ascomycota, comprise the subkingdom Dikarya within the Kingdom Fungi...
which parasitizes Lantana among other plants. The Sweet Potato Whitefly
Sweet potato whitefly
Bemisia tabaci is a species of whitefly found around the world and probably native to India.-Common names:*mosca branca *cotton whitefly ,*mosca blanca ,*sweet potato whitefly ,...
(Bemisia tabaci) is a common greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
pest and is often distributed with infested lantanas.
Lantana species, especially L. camara, contain pentacyclic triterpenoids
Terpenoid
The terpenoids , sometimes called isoprenoids, are a large and diverse class of naturally occurring organic chemicals similar to terpenes, derived from five-carbon isoprene units assembled and modified in thousands of ways. Most are multicyclic structures that differ from one another not only in...
that cause hepatotoxicity
Hepatotoxicity
Hepatotoxicity implies chemical-driven liver damage.The liver plays a central role in transforming and clearing chemicals and is susceptible to the toxicity from these agents. Certain medicinal agents, when taken in overdoses and sometimes even when introduced within therapeutic ranges, may injure...
and photosensitivity when ingested by grazing animals such as sheep
Domestic sheep
Sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates. Although the name "sheep" applies to many species in the genus Ovis, in everyday usage it almost always refers to Ovis aries...
, goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, bovines
Bovinae
The biological subfamily Bovinae includes a diverse group of 10 genera of medium to large sized ungulates, including domestic cattle, the bison, African buffalo, the water buffalo, the yak, and the four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes...
, and horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s. This has led to widespread livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
loss in the United States, South Africa, India, Mexico, and Australia.
Uses
Lantana species are widely cultivated for their flowers in tropicalTropics
The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
and subtropical
Subtropics
The subtropics are the geographical and climatical zone of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropical zone, which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at latitudes 23.5°N and 23.5°S...
environments and (as an annual plant
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
) in temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
climates.
Most of the plants sold as lantana are either Spanish Flag (L. camara
Lantana camara
Lantana camara, also known as Spanish Flag or West Indian Lantana, is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, that is native to the American tropics. It has been introduced into other parts of the world as an ornamental plant and is considered an invasive species in many...
), Trailing Lantana (L. montevidensis
Lantana montevidensis
Lantana montevidensis is a species of lantana known by many common names, such as: trailing lantana, weeping lantana, creeping lantana, small lantana, purple lantana or trailing shrubverbena....
), or hybrids between the two. L. camara is the most common species in cultivation. Numerous cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s of this species exist, including 'Irene', 'Christine' and 'Dallas Red' (all tall-growing cultivars) and several recently introduced shorter ones. The shorter cultivars may flower more prolifically than the taller ones. L. montevidensis gives blue (or white) flowers all year round. Its foliage is dark green and has a distinct odor.
Although lantanas are generally hardy and, being somewhat toxic
Toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage a living or non-living organisms. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell or an organ , such as the liver...
, are usually rejected by herbivore
Herbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
s, they may still become infested with pests. However, pest control insecticidal soap
Insecticidal soap
Insecticidal soap is defined as any of the potassium fatty acid soaps used to control many plant pests. Insecticidal soap is typically sprayed on plants in the same manner as other insecticides. Insecticidal soap works only on direct contact with the pests. The fatty acids disrupt the structure and...
s are harmful to these plants.
Lantana berries
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
are edible when ripe though like many fruit are mildly poison
Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
ous if eaten while still green.
Though the stems even of larger Lantanas are thin, the wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
is very tough and durable and thus useful for various handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
s such as wicker
Wicker
Wicker is hard woven fiber formed into a rigid material, usually used for baskets or furniture. Wicker is often made of material of plant origin, but plastic fibers are also used....
work. The Soliga
Soliga
A Soliga is a member of a tribe in India that inhabits the Biligirirangan and associated hill ranges in Southern Karnataka, mostly in Chamarajanagar District, bordering the Erode district of Tamil Nadu . Most of them are concentrated in and around the BR Hills in Yelandur and Kollegal Taluks of...
of Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
(India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) are nowadays utilizing Lantana in their wickercraft. The plant is an invasive weed there, and has displaced much of the bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
which formerly was the preferred material for Soliga artisans. By selectively harvesting lantanas for their craft, they are again able to make a living, as well as assisting the recovery of the native ecosystem and reducing the risk of wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
s.
Extracts of Lantana camara may be used for protection of cabbage against the aphid
Aphid
Aphids, also known as plant lice and in Britain and the Commonwealth as greenflies, blackflies or whiteflies, are small sap sucking insects, and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions...
Lipaphis erysimi.
Selected species
|
Lantana pastazensis Lantana pastazensis is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, that is endemic to Ecuador. Its natural habitat is lowland tropical moist forests.... Moldenke (Ecuador Ecuador Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border... ) Martin Martens Martin Martens was a Belgian botanist who was born in Maastricht, Netherlands.Martens was a professor of chemistry and botany at the Catholic University of Louvain who specialized in the study and classification of Pteridophyta... & Galeotti Henri Guillaume Galeotti Henri Guillaume Galeotti was a French-Belgian botanist and geologist of Italian parentage who was born in Paris. He specialized in the study of the family Cactaceae.... – Velvet Lantana |
Formerly placed here
- Cordia linnaei Stearn (as L. corymbosa L.)
- Buddleja salviifoliaBuddleja salviifoliaBuddleja salviifolia, common name sage bush, is a large shrub endemic to much of southern Africa, where it grows on rocky hillsides, along forest margins and watercourses. The species was described and named by Lamarck in 1792...
(L.) Lam. (as L. salviifolia L.)