| Photo Information |
| Copyright: Bruno Camolez (kmolz) (36) |
| Genre: Plants |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2004-03 |
| Categories: Flowers |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2004-08-27 11:33 |
| Viewed: 2274 |
| Points: 4 |
|
| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
As per the site:
http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=56&fr=1&sts=
Lantana camara is a low erect or subscandent, vigorous shrub with stout recurved prickles and a strong odour of black currents; it grows to 1.2-2.4 meters (or even more); its root system is very strong, and it gives out a new flush of shoots even after repeated cuttings; Leaf ovate or ovate-oblong, acute or subacute, crenate-serrate, rugose above, scabrid on both sides; Flower small, usually orange, sometimes varying from white to red in various shades and having a yellow throat, in axillary heads, almost throughout the year; Fruit small, greenish-blue black, blackish, drupaceous, shining, with two nutlets, almost throughout the year, dispersed by birds. Seeds germinates very easily.
Widely grown as an ornamental shrub throughout the tropics, subtropics and temperate zones, it is established there as a weed of pastures and the environment in circa 50 countries.
Occurs in:
agricultural areas, coastland, disturbed areas, natural forest, planted forests, range/grasslands, riparian zones, scrub/shrublands, urban areas, wetlands
Habitat description
“A major weed of pastures, roadsides, wasteland and plantations, but is not a problem in cultivation. Lantana grows best in moist, but not wet areas where the soil is of medium fertility and there is plenty of light. It also tolerates moderate shade.” (Swarbrick, 1997)
General impacts
Decreased productivity in pastures. Poisons cattle. Invades disturbed natural ecosystems establishing in open situation creekbanks and roadsides. Excludes understorey species. Changes faunal makeup by providing perch sites and cover. Understorey competitor for forestry.
Uses
Lantana camara is grown as hedge plant. Its stalks are used as raw material for paper pulp which is used for wrapping, writing and printing paper. Its bark is astringent and used as a lotion in cutiginous eruptions, leprous ulcers etc. Lantana camara leaves are boiled and applied for swellings and pain of the body. Alkaloidal fractions, obtained from leaves, have been found to lower blood pressure, accelerate deep respiration and stimulate intestinal movements in experimental animals (Singh et al. 1996).
Notes
L. camara is a highly variable species. It has been cultivated for over 300 years and now has hundred of cultivars and hybrids. These belong mostly to the L. camara complex. Cultivars can be distinguished morphologically (variation in: flower size, shape and colour; leaf size, hairiness and colour; stem thorniness), physiologically (variation in: growth rates, toxicity to livestock) and by their chromosome number and DNA content (Pierre Binggeli, 1999).
I found it in the house-deck i use to go pretty often, in a family cottage. |
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