FFF125 - LANTANA

Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. The genus includes both herbaceous plants and shrubs growing to 0.5–2 m tall. Their common names are shrub verbenas or lantanas. Some species are invasive, and are considered to be noxious weeds, such as in South Asia, Southern Africa and Australia. In the United States, lantanas are naturalised in the southeast, especially coastal regions of the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and the Gulf Coast.

The generic name originated in Late Latin, where it refers to the unrelated Viburnum lantana.  Lantana's aromatic flower clusters (called umbels) are a mix of red, orange, yellow, or blue and white florets. Other colours exist as new varieties are being selected. The flowers typically change colour as they mature, resulting in inflorescences that are two- or three-coloured.  "Wild lantanas" are plants of the unrelated genus Abronia, usually called "sand-verbenas".

Lantana camara blanca, shown here is a small perennial shrub which can grow to around 2m in height and forms dense thickets in a variety of environments. It has small tubular shaped flowers, each of which has four petals and are arranged in clusters at the end of stems. Flowers are yellow and white and after pollination occurs the colour of the flowers change (typically from yellow to white); this is believed to be a signal to pollinators that the pre-change colour contains a reward as well as being sexually viable, thus increasing pollination efficiency.

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FFF125

1.	My Desktop Daily	13.	Jutta K. Deutschland	25.	Sara Chapman #2	37.	HoodPhoto OR-USA
2.	Nick, Melbourne	14.	Jesh StG	26.	Sara Chapman #3	38.	Frauke * Germany
3.	NixPixMix	15.	Heidrun, Germany	27.	CathyC, Adelaide	39.	Susan
4.	Synnöve	16.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	28.	Jama -Singapore	40.	Dawn
5.	NatureFootstep Photo	17.	Ulla Laiho	29.	Aletta - Nowathome	41.	Scene by Minerva
6.	Ranu	18.	Xavi, Barcelona	30.	The Rosegarden in Malevik	42.	Tulips from Debbie at Travel with intent
7.	Rajesh	19.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	31.	Zauberpalme	43.	Jim, Sydney, Australia
8.	Gunilla	20.	Alexa T	32.	Simone, Germany	44.	simfonia
9.	Maboe	21.	ch-photoArt	33.	Tina	45.	Al, Holland
10.	rosa wunderland	22.	Anneli - A'la Foto	34.	wieczorama-fotografie
11.	Mascha	23.	Kebo, Italy	35.	Gurgaon Gardener: Pansy, Pansy Violet or Viola
12.	Ileana	24.	Sara Chapman in Seattle USA	36.	Julianne Victoria

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