Lantana

Description:

Usually 1-2 m shrub but may clamber higher. Pungent odor in all plant parts. Square stems hairy, with or without prickles. Toothed, opposite leaves to 12 cm long, lighter green and soft pubescent below, moderately scratchy above. Bracts below and within inflorescence equal in sizw. Dome-shaped 2-3 cm diameter flowerheads on 6 cm stalks, arising from leaf axils, made up of many 4-lobed tubular corolas ca. 1 cm long. Buds in center orange-red (or pinkish), open flowers yellow, old flowers orange to red. Clusters of shiny, metallic blue to black fruits ca. 5 mm in diameter. - Flowers and fruits year-round.

Habitat:

Sea level to 2,000 m. In second growth, along streams and road sides.

Notes:

Costa Rica has three other native lantanas, each with paler flowers than Lantana camara: L. trifolia, with elongate inflorescence of lavender flowers; L. hirta, with white to lilac flowers and L. montevidensis