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Verbenaceae (teak, lantana family) Life
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Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
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Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Euasterid I > Order: Lamiales
There are a total of 34 genera and 1175 species (worldwide),
of which five genera and 30 species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional
three genera and nine species have become naturalised in the region, and
an additional three genera and eight species are cultivated in southern Africa.
A number of genera have been moved from the Verbenaceae to the
Lamiaceae.
Genera indigenous to southern Africa
List from Retief (2000). Note that the genera Clerodendrum,
Karomia, Premna and Vitex have been moved from the Verbenaceae to the
Lamiaceae.
Chascanum About 30
species, native to Africa, Madagascar and Arabian Peninsula to West India,
with 14 species found in southern Africa. |
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Lantana About 150 species,
native to tropical America and Africa. There are 4 indigenous species in
southern Africa as well as the noxious introduced weed Lantana
camara. |
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Lippia About 200 species,
native to tropical Africa and America, with 6 indigenous species in
southern Africa. |
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Phyla The 11 species are
found in warm and tropical areas, with one, Phyla nodiflora, native
to southern Africa. |
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Priva
About 20 species,
native to tropical and subtropical Asia, Asia Minor, Africa and parts of
America. There are 5 species indigenous to southern Africa. |
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Genera naturalised in southern Africa
List from Retief (2000).
Duranta About 30
species, native in the Caribbean and South America. Duranta erecta,
originating from Argentina, was introduced to southern Africa as a garden
ornamental shrub but has become naturalised. |
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Stachytarpheta The 65
species are native mainly to tropical and warm regions of America although
there are a few in the Old World. Two species have become naturalised in
southern Africa: Stachytarpheta mutabilis and Stachytarpheta
urticifolia (found in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal). |
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Verbena About 200 species, native mainly to tropical and temperate America
although there are also 2-3 species native to the Old World. Six species
have been introduced to southern Africa and in summer rainfall areas have
become common weeds along roadsides and in open spaces. |
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Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa
List from Glen (2002). The species name is provided in
genera that have only one species cultivated in southern Africa. Some genera
listed under Verbenaceae in Glen (2002) are now classified in the
Lamiaceae.
Aloysia
Two species cultivated, including Aloysia
triphylla (Lemon verbena). |
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Citharexylum (zither wood)
Five species cultivated. The wood is used for making musical instruments. |
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Petrea volubilis (Petrea, Purple wreath)
Indigenous from Mexico to Brazil.
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Publications
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Retief, E. 2000. Verbenaceae. In: Seed Plants of
Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 557-559.
National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of
Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
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