Lantana trifolia (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia
Introduction

Protologue: Sp. pl. 2: 626 (1753).

Vernacular names

Indonesia: tahi ayam (general), puyengan (Javanese), mandakaki (Sundanese)
Malaysia: bunga pagar puteh (Peninsular)
Thailand: phakaa krong.

Distribution

Native to the West Indies and South America, common in tropical Africa and introduced and naturalized in India, Peninsular Malaysia and Java.

Uses

In Malaysia and South America L. trifolia is used in a similar way as L. camara . In Burundi it is also applied to treat theileriasis in livestock.

Observations

An erect shrub up to 3 m tall, stems angular, with white hairs but not prickly, faintly aromatic; leaves mostly in whorls of 3, sometimes opposite or 4-whorled, oblong-lanceolate to elliptical-lanceolate, 5-12 cm × 2-6 cm, petiole 5-12 cm long; inflorescence spicate, subcapitate when young, later elongated to 5 cm long; flowers with a corolla tube extending to 7 mm long during anthesis, pink, lavender, purple or white; fruit a sweet, juicy drupe, globose or obovate, purplish-red or white. L. trifolia occurs in open disturbed habitats from sea-level to 800 m altitude, prefering dry thickets.

Selected sources

92, 97, 101, 202, 968, 979, 1267, 1505.

Authors

Florentina Indah Windadri & J.L.C.H. van Valkenburg