West Indian Lantana

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Black Sage
• Common Lantana
• Sage
• Scrubby Cup
• Scrubby Tree
• Statia Sage
• Wild Lantana
• Wild Sage
• Yellow Sage
• kamara lantana
• Bird's Brandy
• Cherry Pie
• Cherry-Pie
• Spanish flag
• Tick-berrry
• Tickberry
• West Indian Lantana
• curse of India

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Camara vulgaris

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is further organized into the order Lamiales and the family Verbenaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic identity is established within the genus Lantana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad and diverse geographical distribution across several continents. In Southeastern Europe, its presence can be observed in countries such as Italy. Moving to the African continent, it thrives in West Tropical Africa within Guinea and extends into West-Central Tropical Africa in the DR Congo. The species also inhabits East Tropical Africa, specifically in regions like Kenya. Finally, its range reaches Eastern Asia, where it is found in the Nansei-shoto islands.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lantana camara is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse environments and a broad vertical distribution across varying landscapes. This species thrives across a wide array of habitats, ranging from anthropized areas (Área Antrópica) to complex natural formations such as Caatinga (strictu sensu), Cerrado (lato sensu), and various forest types including Riparian or Gallery forests (Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria), Terra Firme forests, Várzea forests, and both Deciduous and Semi-deciduous Seasonal forests (Floresta Estacional Decidual/Semidecidua). It is also frequently found in open and rocky landscapes, such as Campo de Altitude, Campo Limpo, Campo Rupestre, and Carrasco. Its elevational tolerance is extensive, spanning from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 2800 m AMSL, with a mean elevational range centered around 1125 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

2800 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1125 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Caatinga (stricto sensu), Campo de Altitude, Campo Limpo, Campo Rupestre, Carrasco, Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta de Várzea, Floresta Estacional Decidual, Floresta Estacional Semidecidu

Genetics

The genetics of Lantana camara are characterized by a remarkable degree of chromosomal variability and complex polyploid tendencies. The species exhibits a wide range of chromosome numbers, documented at 22, 24, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 44, 55, and 66, reflecting a high level of genomic plasticity. While the fundamental ploidy level is recorded as 2, the extensive variation in chromosome counts suggests a history of frequent hybridization, genome duplication, and aneuploidy, which likely contributes to the plant's high adaptability and invasive potential across diverse environments.

Chromosome number :

22,24,32,34,36,38,40,44,55,66

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Lantana camara is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. In terms of its structural growth habit, it exhibits characteristics of both a phanerophyte, as it can develop into a woody shrub with elevated stems, and a nanophanerophyte, depending on the specific environmental conditions and growth stage. The plant maintains an evergreen deciduousness, ensuring that its foliage remains functional throughout much of the year, which contributes to its ability to colonize diverse habitats effectively.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lantana camara is characterized by its growth form as a woody shrub, which functions as a self-supporting plant rather than a liana or vine. It exhibits an erect shoot orientation and is classified as a terrestrial species, neither aquatic nor epiphytic, and it grows as an independent organism without parasitic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant displays significant variation in size, with a minimum height of 0.5 m, a mean height of 2.06 m, and a maximum height reaching up to 3 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

3 m

Plant height mean:

2.06 m

Plant height min:

0.5 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lantana camara is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a lack of nitrogen-fixing capabilities. The plant's vegetative structure features leaves with an opposite arrangement and an ovate form, displaying significant morphological variation in size; leaf length ranges from a minimum of 0.5 cm to a maximum of 13 cm, while leaf width varies from as little as 0.25 cm to a maximum of 8 cm, with a mean width of 4.3 cm. Regarding leaf composition, the leaf dry matter content (LDMC) remains constant at a mean, minimum, and maximum of 308.1 mg/g, and the plant exhibits no succulence. The stem characteristics are defined by a stem specific density (SSD) that is consistent across its range, with a mean, minimum, and maximum value of 380 mg/cm³.

Leaf arrangement :

opposite

Leaf dry matter content (LDMC) mean:

308.1 mg/g

Leaf form :

ovate

Leaf length max:

13 cm

Leaf length min:

0.5 cm

Leaf width max:

8 cm

Leaf width mean:

4.3 cm

Leaf width min:

0.25 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Stem specific density (SSD) min:

380 mg/cm³

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lantana camara involves both sexual and asexual mechanisms, with the sexual process occurring in bisexual flowers. These flowers, which are typically orange in color, exhibit a biotic pollination syndrome primarily driven by insects, specifically butterflies. The flowering period is highly variable, potentially spanning from December through the following year, including months such as January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, and November. Self-fertilization is noted as absent, necessitating cross-pollination. Following successful fertilization, the plant produces fleshy, indehiscent drupe-type fruits that are black in color. These fruits vary in size, with a mean length of 0.5 cm and a width ranging from 0.4 cm to 0.7 cm (mean width of 0.5 cm). The dispersal of the plant follows a zoochorous syndrome, though it is also categorized as anthropochorous. Within these fruits, the plant produces a high volume of seeds, often exceeding 1,000 seeds per fruit. The seeds are characterized by a mean length and width of 3.5 mm, a mean mass of approximately 0.0160135 g (ranging from a minimum of 0.0012 g to a maximum of 0.03992 g), and a mean volume of 17 mm³ (ranging from 15 mm³ to 19 mm³).

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

orange

Flowering time :

Dec

Fruit colour :

black

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length mean:

0.5 cm

Fruit type :

drupe

Fruit width max:

0.7 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.5 cm

Fruit width min:

0.4 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

butterfly

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

present

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

3.5 mm

Seed mass max:

0.03992 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0160135 g

Seed mass min:

0.0012 g

Seed volume max:

19 mm³

Seed volume mean:

17 mm³

Seed volume min:

15 mm³

Seed width mean:

3.5 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Lantana camara has 3 reported plant parts identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower, root.

Leaf

1. Heliyon
2. PLoS neglected tropical diseases
3. Phytochemistry
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology
5. Journal of natural products

Flower

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
3. RSC advances

Root

1. Natural product communications

Chemicals

Lantana camara has 101 reported phytochemicals identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, LANTADENE A, 1,8-Cineole, Lantadene B, OLEANOLIC ACID.

Flavonoids

1. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
2. Recent patents on biotechnology
3. Journal of clinical tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
5. International journal of molecular sciences

LANTADENE A

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Molecular biology reports
4. Heliyon

1,8-Cineole

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of natural medicines
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Lantadene B

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. Molecular biology reports

OLEANOLIC ACID

1. Phytochemistry
2. Parasitology research
3. Natural product communications

Tannins

1. Journal of clinical tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Terpenoids

1. Recent patents on biotechnology
2. Journal of clinical tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases
3. International journal of molecular sciences

triterpenoids

1. Phytochemistry
2. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
3. Bioorganic chemistry

Bicyclogermacrene

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Icterogenin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecular biology reports

Activities

Lantana camara has 355 reported activities identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antimalarial, Antipyretic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Archiv der Pharmazie
4. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
5. Microbial pathogenesis

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of natural medicines
4. Journal of toxicology
5. Protein expression and purification

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of natural medicines
4. Protein expression and purification

Antimalarial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Journal of natural medicines

Antipyretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology
3. Journal of young pharmacists : JYP

Cytotoxic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Journal of natural products

Antifungal

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Fitoterapia

Antimicrobial

1. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology
2. Microbial pathogenesis

Antimutagenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology

Antiseptic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics

Medicinal Uses

Lantana camara has 37 reported medicinal uses identified across 12 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Plasmodium falciparum, inflammation, malaria, Brugia malayi, E. coli.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations