LANTANA 



LANTANA 



1819 



toothed calyx. Species probably 50, mostly in Trop. 

 and Subtrop. Amer., but also in the Old World. Lan- 

 tanas have been long in cult., and it is difficult to refer 

 the garden forms to botanical species. The species 

 themselves are confusing. Most of the garden kinds 

 are of the L. Camara type. There are several camara- 

 like species which probably have hybridized to produce 

 these forms; but Voss regards these species as only 

 forms of L. Camara (preferring, however, to use the 

 name L. aculeata). Accepting L. Camara in Voss's 

 sense, the garden lantanas may be said to be derived 

 from that species; and this view is adopted below. In 

 recent years, a strain of very dwarf varieties has 

 become popular as border plants. The lantanas are free- 

 flowering in winter and summer, but an odor of foliage 

 and flowers that is disagreeable to many persons pre- 

 vents them from popular use as cut-flowers. They are 

 very useful in window-gardens and the dwarf kinds 

 make good subjects for hanging-baskets. From the 

 window they may be transferred to the open in sum- 

 mer, where they bloom profusely. 



The culture of the florists' lantana is relatively sim- 

 ple. It is grown under glass for bloom in cold weather 

 and also in the open in summer. It has been improved 

 in its usefulness as a bedding-plant of late years, largely 

 through the efforts of French hybridists. The older 

 varieties were mostly rather tall and lanky, later in 

 coming into bloom, and dropped their flowers badly 

 after rain-storms, but were showy in warm and dry 

 weather. The new varieties are dwarf, sprerding and 

 bushy in habit, early and free-flowering, and the heads 

 or umbels of bloom average much larger, with florets in 

 proportion; nor do they drop from the plants as did the 

 old varieties in bad weather. These newer kinds are 

 not so well known as they should be. They are very 

 desirable for any situation where sun-loving bedding 

 plants are used, in groups or borders, window-boxes, 

 baskets and vases. The lantana is not particular as to 

 soil, provided the exposure is sunny, and also that the 

 soil is well supplied with moisture at least until a 

 fair growth has been made. When well established the 

 plants do not seem to mind drought, and continue 

 bright and attractive in the hottest weather. They 

 should not be transplanted out in the open before 

 danger of frost is over. If the old plants are wanted for 

 propagation, cut them back and transfer to pots early 

 in September, and when they start into new growth 

 the soft wood will furnish cuttings that root easily. 

 Keep young stock in a warm position through the 

 winter months, and repot in April. Save the old 

 plants, after frost has nipped their freshness late in 

 autumn, prune severely back, remove them indoors, 

 giving them a temperature anywhere above 40, and 

 with a little attention and fresh soil, every plant will be 

 a perfect specimen, covered with blooms in May. Gar- 

 deners train them into fine standards, as prim and 

 shapely as need be. Among the French varieties are 

 very dwarf spreading growers, about 8 inches high. 

 (Grove P. Rawson.) 



A. Plant mostly spiny (at least when wild}: fr. juicy. 



Camara, Linn. (L. aculeata, Linn.). Fig. 2107. Small 

 shrub, 1-4 ft. high, hairy, sometimes with short hooked 

 prickles: Ivs. rather thick, rugose, scabrous above but 

 pubescent beneath, ovate or cordate-ovate, mostly short- 

 acuminate, crenate-dentate, the petioles short: clusters 

 of fls. on strong axillary peduncles which may or may 

 not exceed the Ivs.; fls. in a dense, nearly flat-topped 

 head, usually opening yellow or pink but changing to 

 orange or scarlet, the bracts narrow and not conspicu- 

 ous. Trop. Amer., extending north to Texas and S. Ga. 

 B.M. 96. L.B.C. 12:1171 (as L. scabrida, Ait.). In 

 the wild, the plant may grow 10 ft. high, and it is 

 usually prickly (hence the name L. aculeata of Linnaeus). 

 The cult, plant is less prickly or even unarmed. Color 

 of fls. varies on different plants, and there are many 



named forms. This group is now a prominent plant in 

 many tropics. It is possible that more than one spe- 

 cies is involved in the following forms. L. hybrida is a 

 name for the dwarf garden forms. L. Pictavi is a hy- 

 brid between L. Sellowiana and a garden form. 



Var. nivea, Bailey (L. nivea, Vent.). Fls. white, the 

 outer ones becoming bluish; heads rounder. B.M. 1946. 



Var. mutabilis, Bailey (L. nivea var. mutdbilis, 

 Hook.). Remarkable for the change of color in the 

 nearly globular heads: in little more than a day, the 

 fls. may change from white through yellowish, lilac, 

 rose and blue. The outer fls. open white and run 

 through yellowish, rose and lilac; the inner ones open 

 yellowish. B.M. 3110. R.H. 1852:461. 



Var. mista, Bailey (L. mista, Linn. Not spelled 

 mixta by Linnaeus, although it is so spelled by later 

 authors). Outer fls. opening yellowish and becoming 

 saffron and brick-red; inner fls. yellow, changing to 

 orange. Said to be distinguished by numerous recurved 

 prickles on the branches. 



Var. crdcea, Bailey (L. crdcea, Jacq.). Fls. opening 

 sulfur-yellow and changing to saffron. R.H. 1852:461. 



Var. sanguinea, Bailey (L. sanguinea, Medikus). Fls. 

 opening saffron-yellow, changing to bright red. 



AA. Plant not spiny: fr. either juicy or thin-fleshed. 



lilacina, Desf. Particularly recommendable in S. 

 Calif, for its upright panicles of rosy lilac shining 

 berries, which persist through the winter: erect, with 



2107. Lantana Camara. (XK>> 



spreading 4-angled hirsute branches: Ivs. opposite, 

 ovate to oblong or lanceolate-triangular-acute, the base 

 rounded or slightly cordate, crenate, hairy-scabrous 

 above and velutinous beneath : fls. rose-lilac with yellow 

 throat: berry succulent. Brazil. The L. purpurea of 

 Cyclo. Amer. Hort., 1900. 



salvifdlia, Jacq. (L. salvi&fdlia, Mey.). Erect, 

 much branched, aromatic, unarmed, 3-6 ft., pubescent 



