LANTANA CROCEA. 
(Copper-coloured flowered Lantana.) 
Class. 
DID YN A MIA. 
Order. 
ANGIOSPERMIA* 
Natural Order. 
VERBENACEJE. 
Generic Character. — Calyx four-toothed, short. Co- 
rolla with a four-lohed unequal limb. Stamens 
inserted in the tube. Stigma bent, claw-shaped, with 
the style at the summit as if obliquely adnate. Drupe 
with a nut, two celled, two-seeded. 
Specific Character.— Plant an evergreen shrub. 
Stems inclined to be quadrangular when young. Leaves 
opposite, ovate, acute, somewhat recurved, wrinkled 
and rough. Corymbs of flowers axillary, on long erect 
peduncles. Corollas bright-red ; yellow in the centre of 
the clusters. 
So similar and apparently ill-defined are some of the species of Lantana, that it 
is not easy to say whether this be indeed the L. crocea, brought to England in 
1818, or whether it be a new species. We believe, however, that it is really the 
L. crocea ; and in this conviction, as well as because it exists in some collections 
under that name, we publish it as such. At the same time, it resembles the 
L. mixta in several of its characteristics. 
We obtained our representation from the nursery of Messrs. Young, Epsom, 
who raised it from seeds which are supposed to have been received from Mexico. 
Jamaica is, however, given in the catalogues as the native country of L. crocea ; 
but it is quite possible that it may be found in both these places. 
It is a plant of rather robust habits, with no inclination to trail, but growing 
in an upright position to the height, seemingly, of about eighteen inches. It has 
deeply-veined yet interesting foliage, and throws up from the axils of its leaves 
strong clusters of blossoms, which are arranged in corymbs on stout bold peduncles, 
and are peculiarly showy. Their colour is a deep rich red, while towards the 
middle of each corymb they become tinged with yellow, and, in the centre itself, 
are entirely of a vivid yellow tint. They begin to appear about the month of June, 
and the specimens continue producing them for a long period, according to the 
place in which they are cultivated. 
Hitherto, the species and its allies have been considered to demand the tempera- 
ture of a stove continually. This would appear to be a mistake ; since, as with 
L. Selloviana, experience has shown that L, crocea flourishes beautifully in the 
