Lantana
(an old Italian name for the Wayfaring-tree). ORD. Verbenaceae. A rather large genus (about fifty species have been enumerated) of stove evergreen shrubs or herbs, for the most part natives of the warmer regions of the New World, a few African and Asiatic. Flowers red, golden, white, or various-coloured, in pedunculate axillary heads; corolla tube slender, with a spreading five-lobed limb. Leaves opposite, dentate, often rugose. The large number of hybrid forms (one is represented in Fig. 374) now in cultivation are extensively employed for greenhouse decoration and for bedding-out purposes. They are of comparatively easy culture, and produce an abundance of flowers for six or seven months out of the year, many of which are very pretty, but not by any means agreeably scented. Lantanas thrive best in a compost of two parts of good loam, and one part of leaf mould or decayed manure. They require potting moderately firm. Propagated, in August or September, by cuttings, which should be placed in small pots, and wintered in an ordinary greenhouse. In March, they should be shifted into 3in. pots, and, when the side shoots are large enough, stopped back, the points being struck in a gentle bottom heat. If it is desired to have large plants, those stopped back should be repotted into 6in. pots. Plenty of water will be necessary while they are growing freely. Young plants grow and flower well outside in summer; old ones, cut back and repotted, are best suited for culture inside, their growth being shorter-jointed and more floriferous. All the species mentioned below are subshrubs or shrubs.
L. aculeata (prickly). A synonym of L. Camara.
L. annua (annual). A synonym of L. trifolia.
L. Camara (Camara). fl. red, orange, varying in colour in different plants; spikes hemispherical. June. fr. a roundish berry, black when ripe. l. opposite, ovate or oblong, pointed, as long as the peduncles, serrate. Stem prickly. h. 6ft. to 10ft. Jamaica, 1692. (B. M. 96, under name of L. aculeata.) L. crocea (copper-coloured). fl. bright red, yellow in the centre of the clusters, which are axillary, on long peduncles. June. l. opposite, ovate, acute, somewhat recurved wrinked and rough. h. 3ft. Jamaica, 1818. (P. M. B. x. 53.) L. nivea (snowy). fl. white, in hemispherical spikes. July to October. l. opposite, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, decurrent at base, having a powerful odour like that of Ground Ivy, but stronger. Stem prickly. East Indies. (B. M. 1946.) L. n. mutabilis (changeable). fl. at first yellow, gradually becoming rose-colour, borne on prickly peduncles. May and June. (B. M. 3110.) L. Selloviana (Sellow's). fl. bright purplish-red, paler on the outside, arranged in flattish heads. December and January. l. opposite, ovate, pointed, crenate-serrated, pubescent on both sides. Stem pubescent, procumbent. Monte Video, 1822. (B. M. 2981.) L. trifolia (three-leaved). fl. reddish or purplish; heads ovoid-globose, at length oblong. August. l. elliptical or elliptical-oblong, pointed, cuneate-tapering at base, serrate, often whorled. h. 3ft. West Indies, 1733. Shrub. (B. M. 1449.) The plant figured in B. M. 1022 is a young one, and it was then presumed to be annual; hence the name annua, there given. The following is a selection of the best varieties:
BOUQUET BLANC, straw-colour, changing to white, very dwarf habit; DISTINCTION, rich orange-scarlet, good; DON CALMET, pink, changing to yellow, a floriferous and good variety; ELDORADO, white, with lemon eye, dwarf habit; FABIOLA, rose, yellow, and orange, free habit; FAVORITA, yellow, changing to dark brown, shaded purple, good habit; GLOBE D'OR, deep yellow, dwarf; HEROINE, yellow, changing to chocolate, large flowers, good habit; JANUS, deep yellow, changing to rosy-purple, compact habit; LA NEIGE, pure white, very free and dwarf; LOUIS BENOIT, deep orange-scarlet, dwarf and very floriferous, one of the best; MAGENTA KING, purplish-scarlet, nearly self-coloured; METEOR, pale yellow, changing to rose; MULTIFLORA, rich yellow self, medium truss, very free; NE PLUS ULTRA, rose, pink, and lavender, good; RAYON DE SOLEIL, deep yellow, changing to rosy-violet, large flowers; VER LUISANT, brilliant yellow, large truss, dwarf; VICTOIRE, pure white, rich lemon eye.