Jump to navigation

As an ornamental, L. camara is often cultivated indoors, or in a conservatory, but can also thrive in a garden with sufficient shelter.^[8] It has spread from its native Central and South America to around 50 countries,^[9] where it has become an invasive species.^[10][11] It first spread out of the Americas when it was brought to Europe by Dutch explorers and cultivated widely, soon spreading further into Asia and Oceania where it has established itself as a notorious weed, and in Goa it was introduced by the Portuguese.^[10]

L. camara can outcompete native species, leading to a reduction in biodiversity.^[12] It can also cause problems if it invades agricultural areas as a result of its toxicity to livestock, as well as its ability to form dense thickets which, if left unchecked, can greatly reduce the productivity of farmland.^[13]

Mature fruits of Lantana camara

L. camara var., in China, from Flower View

Lantana camara is a small perennial shrub which can grow to around 2 m tall and form dense thickets in a variety of environments.^[14] Due to extensive selective breeding throughout the 17th and 18th Centuries for use as an ornamental plant, there are now many different L. camara cultivars.^[3]

L. camara has small tubular shaped flowers, which each have four petals and are arranged in clusters in terminal areas stems. Flowers come in many different colours, including red, yellow, white, pink and orange, which differ depending on location in inflorescences, age, and maturity.^[15] The flower has a tutti frutti smell with a peppery undertone. After pollination occurs the colour of the flowers changes (typically from yellow to orangish, pinkish, or reddish); this is believed to be a signal to pollinators that the pre-change colour contains a reward as well as being sexually viable, thus increasing pollination efficiency.^[16]

The leaves are broadly ovate, opposite, and simple and have a strong odour when crushed.^[17]

The fruit of L. camara is a berry-like drupe which turns from green to dark purple when mature. Green unripe fruits are inedible to humans and animals alike. Because of dense patches of hard spikes on their rind, ingestion of them can result in serious damage to the digestive tract. Both vegetative (asexual) and seed reproduction occur. Up to 12,000 fruits can be produced by each plant^[18] which are then eaten by birds and other animals which can spread the seeds over large distances, facilitating the spread of L. camara.

Distribution[edit]

Antillean crested hummingbird feeding from L. camara

The native range of Lantana camara is Central and South America; however, it has become naturalised in around 60 tropical and sub-tropical countries worldwide.^[19][20] It is found frequently in east and southern Africa, where it occurs at altitudes below 2000 m, and often invades previously disturbed areas such as logged forests and areas cleared for agriculture.^[21]

L. camara has also colonized areas of Africa, Southern Europe, such as Spain and Portugal, and also the Middle East, India, tropical Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the US, as well as many Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean islands.^[22][23] It has become a significant weed in Sri Lanka after escaping from the Royal Botanic gardens in 1926.^[24][25]

It was introduced into the Philippines from Hawaii as part of an exchange program between the United States and the Philippines; however, it managed to escape and has become naturalized in the islands.^[26]

The range of L. camara is still increasing, shown by the fact that it has invaded many islands on which it was not present in 1974, including the Galapagos Islands, Saipan and the Solomon Islands.^[23] There is also evidence that L. camara is still increasing its range in areas where it has been established for many years, such as East Africa, Australia and New Zealand.^[9] The ability of L. camara to rapidly colonise areas of land which have been disturbed has allowed it to proliferate in countries where activities such as logging, clearance for agriculture and forest fires are common. In contrast, in countries with large areas of intact primary forest, the distribution of L. camara has been limited.^[9][27]

Ecology[edit]

Habitat[edit]

L. camara in Silent Valley National Park, Kerala, India

Lantana camara is found in a variety of environments, including:

• Agricultural areas
• Forest margins and gaps
• Riparian zones
• Grasslands
• Secondary forest, and
• Beach fronts.

L. camara is rarely found in natural or semi-natural areas of forest, as it is unable to compete with taller trees due to its lack of tolerance for shade.^[6] Instead it grows at the forest edge. L. camara can survive in a wide range of climatic conditions, including drought, different soil types, heat, humidity and salt. It is also relatively fire tolerant and can quickly establish itself in recently burnt areas of forest.^[21][28]

Toxicity[edit]

L. camara

Lantana camara is known to be toxic to livestock such as cattle, sheep, horses, dogs and goats.^[33][34] The active substances causing toxicity in grazing animals are pentacyclic triterpenoids, which result in liver damage and photosensitivy.^[35] L. camara also excretes allelopathic chemicals, which reduce the growth of surrounding plants by inhibiting germination and root elongation.^[36]

The toxicity of L. camara to humans is undetermined, with several studies suggesting that ingesting berries can be toxic to humans, such as a study by O P Sharma which states "Green unripe fruits of the plant are toxic to humans".^[37] However, other studies have found evidence which suggests that L. camara fruit poses no risk to humans when eaten, and is in fact edible when ripe.^[38][39]

Uses[edit]

Butterfly resting on L. camara

Lantana camara stalks have been used in the construction of furniture, such as chairs and tables;^[42] however, the main uses have historically been medicinal and ornamental.

Medicinal value[edit]

Studies conducted in India have found that Lantana leaves can display antimicrobial, fungicidal and insecticidal properties.^[3][43] L. camara has also been used in traditional herbal medicines for treating a variety of ailments, including cancer, skin itches, leprosy, chicken pox, measles, asthma and ulcers.^[3]

L. camara extract has shown to reduce ulcer development in rats.^[44] Extracts from the plant have also been used in Brazil to treat respiratory infections.^[45]

Ornamental[edit]

Lantana camara has been grown specifically for use as an ornamental plant since Dutch explorers first brought it to Europe from the New World.^[3] Its ability to last for a relatively long time without water, and the fact that it does not have many pests or diseases which affect it, have contributed to it becoming a common ornamental plant. L. camara also attracts butterflies and birds and is frequently used in butterfly gardens.^[4]

As a host-plant[edit]

Many butterfly species feed on the nectar of L. camara. Papilio homerus, the largest butterfly in the western hemisphere, is known to feed on the nectar of the flowers as an opportunistic flower feeder.^[46]

Etymology[edit]

The name Lantana derives from the Latin name of the wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana, the flowers of which closely resemble Lantana.^[10][47]

Camara is derived from Greek, meaning ?arched?, ?chambered?, or ?vaulted?.^[47]

Gallery[edit]