More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
Optimized for viewing on desktop or laptop
Mints, Plantains, Olives, and Allies of Zihuatanejo
ORDER LAMIALES
Common Lantana
Lantana camara
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Mints, Plantains, Olives, and Allies (Order Lamiales)
-Verbena Family (Family Verbenaceae)
-Tribe Lantaneae
-Lantanas (Genus Lantana)
-Section Lantana
-Common Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lantana is a species of flowering plant within the verbena family (Verbenaceae), native to the American tropics. It is known for its rounded clusters of small, brightly coloured flowers that may be yellow, orange, white, red, pink, blue, or purple. Often the almost fluorescent colours are mixed within the same cluster, creating a bicolored effect. The leaves have a sandpaper-like texture. The flower's nectar attracts several species of butterflies.
Description
• Lantana camara, commonly known as lantana, Spanish flag, or West Indian lantana, is a strongly aromatic, evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub in the verbena family (Verbenaceae). Its stems may be prickly, and its rough, opposite leaves have toothed margins and release a distinctive scent when crushed. Small, tubular flowers grow in dense, rounded clusters and commonly change colour as they mature, displaying combinations of yellow, orange, pink, red, or white. The plant produces small, fleshy fruits that turn dark purple to black when ripe. The leaves and unripe fruits can be toxic to livestock and other animals, and the plant is an invasive weed in many tropical regions.
Range
• Lantana camara is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. It has been introduced widely elsewhere and is naturalized in many warm regions worldwide. It is established in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• It grows in sunny, warm environments, including tropical dry forest margins, scrub, grasslands, roadsides, pastures, and disturbed ground. It tolerates drought and a range of soil conditions, often forming dense thickets in open areas. Its abundant fruit is dispersed by birds and other animals, contributing to its spread into natural habitats.