Lantana camara L.: An emerging threat to native flora and livestock: A review

Abstract

The plant Lantana camara (L.) or common lantana is a well-known flowering plant and weed in Indian subcontinent. The plant was formerly imported for the purpose of hedge but later transformed into pests for the agricultural crops, native flora as well as for livestock. The weed can be found growing at many places from agricultural fields to roadside and even inside the urban locality. It causes major problems for native flora by covering most of area that result in their suppression and destruction. In rainy season, almost all the roads of rural areas got to be covered by common lantana and parthenium grasses causing a huge disturbance in transportation. Lantana camara, is a weed of national significance to India and threatens livestock through its toxicity. Red flowered races are thought to be the most toxic but some white and pink flowered varieties can also be highly toxic. Significant lantana toxins are the triterpene acids, lantadene A (rehmannic acid), lantadene B, and their reduced forms which have significant negative impact on health of livestock.