Type of Flower
Lantana: Lantana is a genus of virtually 150 species of perennial flowering plants inward the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas in addition to Africa but be equally an introduced species inward numerous areas, peculiarly inward the Australian-Pacific region. The genus includes both herbaceous plants in addition to shrubs growing to 0.5–2 one thousand (1.6–6.6 ft) tall. Their mutual names are shrub verbenas or lantanas. The generic yell originated inward Late Latin, where it refers to the unrelated Viburnum lantana.
Lantana's aromatic bloom clusters (called umbels) are a mix of red, orange, yellow, or bluish in addition to white florets. Other colors be equally novel varieties are beingness selected. The flowers typically alter color equally they mature, resulting inward inflorescences that are two- or three-colored.
"Wild lantanas" are plants of the unrelated genus Abronia, unremarkably called "sand-verbenas".
Some species are invasive, in addition to are considered to live on noxious weeds, such equally inward South Asia, Southern Africa in addition to Australia. In the United States, lantanas are naturalized inward the southeast, peculiarly coastal regions of the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, in addition to the Gulf Coast.
The spread of lantana is aided past times the feature of their leaves, which are somewhat poisonous to most animals, piece their fruit is a delicacy for many birds which distribute the seeds. Birds similar the Yellow-fronted White-eye of Vanuatu, the Superb Fairy-wren inward Australia, the Scaly-breasted Munia, or the Republic of Mauritius Bulbul inward the Mascarenes hence unwittingly contribute to the degradation of their habitation ecosystem.[citation needed] Biological command of introduced lantanas has been attempted, without robust success. In Australia, virtually thirty insects bring been introduced inward an endeavour to command the spread of lantanas, in addition to this has caused problems of its own. The Lantana Bug (Aconophora compressa) for illustration is a polyphagous species introduced inward 1995 that feeds on dozens of plants, in addition to non solely has it failed to bring a noticeable affect on the lantana population, it has fifty-fifty buy the farm a pest inward horticulture, parasitizing the related fiddlewoods (Citharexylum). The pocket-sized Lantana-feeding moths Epinotia lantana in addition to Lantanophaga pusillidactyla, piece non becoming pests, bring soundless failed to stalk the spread of the invasive weed, equally has the Lantana Scrub-hairstreak butterfly (Strymon bazochii) which was introduced to command lantanas on the Hawaiian Islands.
As a positive aspect, lantanas are useful equally dearest plants, in addition to Castilian Flag (L. camara), L. lilacina in addition to L. trifolia are sometimes planted for this purpose, or inward butterfly gardening. Butterflies which are attracted to lantana flowers are most notably Papilioninae (swallowtail in addition to birdwing butterflies). Hesperiidae (skippers) in addition to for sure brush-footed butterflies (namely Danainae in addition to Heliconiinae), equally good equally about Pieridae (e.g. Cloudless Sulphur, Phoebis sennae) in addition to Lycaenidae (e.g. the aforementioned Lantana Scrub-hairstreak), too similar to watch the plants' flowers. Consequently, equally full eradication of Lantana seems ofttimes impossible, it may inward many cases live on meliorate to but take plants amongst young (green) fruit to preclude them from spreading.
Lantana species, peculiarly L. camara, incorporate pentacyclic triterpenoids that crusade hepatotoxicity in addition to photosensitivity when ingested past times grazing animals such equally sheep, goats, bovines, in addition to horses.This has led to widespread livestock loss inward the United States, South Africa, India, Mexico, in addition to Australia.
