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For other uses, see Lantana (disambiguation).
Lantana
Wild-type Spanish Flag Lantana camara
Wild-type Spanish Flag Lantana camara
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Verbenaceae
Genus: Lantana
Species

About 150, see text

Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants, native to tropical regions of the Americas, Africa and existing as an imported plant in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. Lantana camara, also known as Spanish Flag, is native to tropical regions in Central and South America Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Dicotyledons, or "dicots", is a name for a group of Flowering plants whose Seed typically has two embryonic leaves or Cotyledons There The order Lamiales is a Taxon in the asterid group of dicotyledonous Flowering plants. The verbena family or vervain vamily, Verbenaceae, is a family of mainly Tropical Plants They are Trees Shrubs In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. A perennial plant or perennial ( Latin per, "through" annus, "year" is a Plant that lives for more than The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The genus includes both herbaceous plants and shrubs growing to 0. A herbaceous plant (or in botanical use a Herb) is a Plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of A shrub or Bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of Woody plant, distinguished from a Tree 5-2 m tall. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International Their common names are shrub verbenas or lantanas.

Lantana's aromatic flower clusters (called umbels) are a mix of red, orange, yellow, or blue and white florets. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also Umbels is a flower cluster having stalked flowers arranged singly along an elongated unbranched axis as in the lily of the valley, in which all the individual flower stalks A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also Other colors exist as new varieties are being selected. The flowers typically change color as they mature, resulting in inflorescences that are two- or three-colored. 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

"Wild lantanas" are plants of the unrelated genus Abronia, usually called "sand-verbenas". Abronia, the sand-verbenas or wild lantanas, is a Genus of about 20 Species of annual or perennial

Contents

Ecology

Lantana overgrowing an abandoned plantation in Sdey Hemed (Israel)
Lantana overgrowing an abandoned plantation in Sdey Hemed (Israel)

Some species are invasive, and are considered to be noxious weeds, such as in South Asia, Southern Africa and Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Introduced species|Weed Invasive species is a phrase with several definitions Noxious weeds are Plant species that have been designated by state or national agricultural authorities as plants that are injurious to agricultural and/or horticultural crops Southern Africa is the Southernmost Region of the African Continent, variably defined by Geography or Geopolitics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. In the United States, lantanas are naturalized in the southeast, especially coastal regions of the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and the Gulf Coast where it is often known as "ham and eggs". The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region The Carolinas is a term used in the United States to refer collectively to the states of North and South Carolina. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the The Gulf Coast region of the United States comprises the coasts of states which border the Gulf of Mexico.

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 birds which distribute the seeds. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. 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. The Yellow-fronted White-eye or Vanuatu White-eye ( Zosterops flavifrons) is a small Passerine Bird belonging to the genus Zosterops Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu ( French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu) is an Island The Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) also known as Superb Blue-wren or colloquially as Blue wren, is a common and familiar Passerine bird The Mauritius Bulbul ( Hypsipetes olivaceus) also known as Mauritius Black Bulbul, is a Passerine endemic to Mauritius. The Mascarene Islands (or Mascarenhas Archipelago) is a group of Islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar comprising Mauritius An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants animals and micro-organisms( Biotic factors in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical (

Biological control of introduced lantanas has been attempted, without robust success. Biological control of pests in Agriculture is a method of controlling pests (including Insects Mites Weeds and plant diseases 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). A pest is an organism which has characteristics that are regarded by Humans as injurious or unwanted The small Lantana-feeding moths 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. A moth is an Insect closely related to the Butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. A butterfly is an Insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a The Hawaiian Islands, once known as the Sandwich Islands, form an Archipelago of 19 Islands and Atolls numerous smaller

Other Lepidoptera whose caterpillars 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). Lepidoptera is an order of Insect that includes Moths and butterflies. Caterpillars are the Larval form of a member of the order Lepidoptera (the Insect order comprising butterflies and Moths The Setaceous Hebrew Character ( Xestia c-nigrum) is a Moth of the family Noctuidae. The Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) is one of the few mammals that eat Lantana leaves without apparent ill effect. The Swamp Wallaby ( Wallabia bicolor) is a small Macropod Marsupial of eastern Australia. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands

As a positive aspect, lantanas are useful as honey plants, and Spanish Flag (L. camara), L. Honeybees usually collect Nectar, Pollen, or both from the following Species of plants which are called honey plants for making Honey. Lantana camara, also known as Spanish Flag, is native to tropical regions in Central and South America lilacina and L. trifolia are sometimes planted for this purpose, or in butterfly gardening. Butterfly gardening is a growing school of Gardening, specifically Wildlife gardening, that is aimed at creating an environment that attracts Butterflies Butterflies which are attracted to lantana flowers are most notably Papilioninae (swallowtail and birdwing butterflies). Papilioninae is a subfamily of the family Papilionidae. Papilioninae occurs world wide with most of the species being found in the tropics Hesperiidae (skippers) and certain brush-footed butterflies (namely Danainae and Heliconiinae), as well as some Pieridae (e. A skipper is a Butterfly of the family Hesperiidae (superfamily Hesperioidea named after their quick darting flight habits The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5000 Species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world Milkweed butterflies are a Subfamily, Danainae, in the family Nymphalidae, or brush-footed butterflies The Heliconiinae, commonly called heliconians or longwings, are a Subfamily of the Brush-footed butterflies ( family Nymphalidae The Pieridae are a large family of butterflies with about 76 genera containing approximately 1100 species mostly from tropical Africa and Asia g. Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae) and Lycaenidae (e. The Cloudless Sulphur ( Phoebis sennae) is a small to midsized Butterfly in the family Pieridae found in the New World. The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies 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. The Black-throated Weaver, also known as the Bengal Weaver or Black-breasted Weaver ( Ploceus benghalensis) is a weaver resident in the The Streaked Weaver ( Ploceus manyar) is a species of weaver bird found in South Asia. 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 (often denoted w in Population genetics models is a central concept in evolutionary theory.

Ceratobasidium cornigerum is a higher fungus which parasitizes Lantana among other plants. Ceratobasidium cornigerum is a plant pathogen Basidiomycota is one of two large phyla that together with the Ascomycota, comprise the subkingdom Dikarya, which were in general what were called The Sweet Potato Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is a common greenhouse pest and is often distributed with infested lantanas. The Sweet Potato Whitefly ( Bemisia tabaci) is an Insect found around the world and probably native to India. A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse or hothouse) is a building where plants are cultivated

Use by humans

Several cultivars of Lantana camara have been selected for differing flower color.
Several cultivars of Lantana camara have been selected for differing flower color.

Lantana species are widely cultivated for their flowers in tropical and subtropical environments and (as an annual plant) in temperate climates. The subtropics are the zones of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropic zone which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Botanically an annual plant is a Plant that usually germinates, Flowers and dies in one Year.

Most of the plants sold as lantana are either Spanish Flag (L. camara), Trailing Lantana (L. montevidensis, or hybrids between the two. Lantana camara, also known as Spanish Flag, is native to tropical regions in Central and South America Lantana montevidensis is a species of Lantana known by many common names such as trailing lantana, weeping lantana, creeping lantana In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. L. camara is the most common species in cultivation. Numerous cultivars of this species exist, including 'Irene', 'Christine' and 'Dallas Red' (all tall-growing cultivars) and several recently introduced shorter ones. A cultivar is a cultivated Plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or useful characteristics it is usually distinct from similar 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.

Though lantanas are generally hardy and, being somewhat toxic, usually rejected by herbivores, they may still become infested with pests, though pest control insecticidal soaps are harmful to these plants. Herbivory is a form of Predation in which an Organism, known as a herbivore, consumes principally Autotrophs ref name=Campbell>Campbell A pest is an organism which has characteristics that are regarded by Humans as injurious or unwanted Insecticidal soap is defined as any of the Potassium Fatty acid soaps used to control many plant pests

Lantana berries are edible when ripe[1] though like many fruit are mildly poisonous if eaten while still green. The word berry has two meanings one based on a botanical definition the other on common identification In the context of Biology, poisons are substances that can cause damage, Illness, or Death to Organisms usually by Though it is strongly suspected that all Lantana leaves are toxic if eaten, L. rugosa is allegedly used as a leaf vegetable. Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a Vegetable, sometimes accompanied

Though the stems even of larger Lantanas are thin, the wood is very tough and durable and thus useful for various handicrafts such as wickerwork. Wood is hard fibrous lignified structural tissue produced as secondary Xylem in the stems of Woody plants notably trees but also shrubs Handicraft, also known as craftwork or simply Craft, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or using only simple tools Wicker is hard woven Fiber formed into a useful object Wicker is usually used for Baskets or Furniture. The Soliga of Karnataka (India) are nowadays utilizing Lantana in their wickercraft. A Soliga is a member of a tribe that inhabits the Biligirirangan and associated hill ranges in Southern Karnataka, mostly in Chamarajanagar District bordering Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The plant is an invasive weed there, and has displaced much of the bamboo which formerly was the preferred material for Soliga artisans. Bamboo is a group of Woody perennial Evergreen Plants in the True grass family Poaceae, subfamily 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 forest fires. A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, [2]

Species

Gallery

Ripe (dark) and unripe (green) lantana berries

Lantana involucrata with fruit

Trailing Lantana
(L. montevidensis)

Texas Lantana
(L. Lantana montevidensis is a species of Lantana known by many common names such as trailing lantana, weeping lantana, creeping lantana urticoides)

Footnotes

  1. ^ Herzog et al. (1996), Coppens d'Eeckenbrugge & Libreros Ferla (2000), TAMREC (2000)
  2. ^ Pandey (2007)

References

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