Creeping Lantana
Lantana montevidensis
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka & more
How to identify Creeping Lantana
Identify Creeping Lantana by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Trailing groundcover habit.
- Confirm leaf arrangement: Opposite.
- Confirm leaf shape: Ovate.
- Confirm flower colour: Purple.
- In India, compare location records such as Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Verbenaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Creeping Lantana.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Lantana montevidensis
- Genus
- Lantana
- Family
- Verbenaceae
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Bihar, Goa, Rajasthan
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Leaf arrangement
- OppositerecordedTwo leaves arise from the stem at the same point, facing each other.“Oppositely arranged and borne on short stalks, the leaves are in opposite pairs on the stem, with successive pairs borne at right angles to each other.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf shape
- OvaterecordedEgg-shaped, broader near the base.“The bright green leaves are ovate to oblong-ovate (egg-shaped) and sometimes narrowly ovate, about 2.5 cm long, and roughly serrated, with a short petiole.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf margin
- ToothedrecordedA saw-like or jagged edge (serrate or dentate).“The bright green leaves are ovate to oblong-ovate (egg-shaped) and sometimes narrowly ovate, about 2.5 cm long, and roughly serrated, with a short petiole.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Leaf surface
- HirsuterecordedCovered in coarse, stiff, bristly hairs.“The bright green leaves are ovate to oblong-ovate (egg-shaped) and sometimes narrowly ovate, about 2.5 cm long, and roughly serrated, with a short petiole.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Creeping Lantana itself; the rest are typical of the Verbenaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- PurplerecordedPurple or violet
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Cyme
- Fruit
- Drupe
Characters marked “recorded” are for Creeping Lantana itself; the rest are typical of the Verbenaceae family — flowering plants only.
About Creeping Lantana
Creeping lantana (Lantana montevidensis) belongs to the Verbenaceae family. In India it has been recorded in Maharashtra, Telangana, Karnataka and 7 other states.
Uses
It is planted as an ornamental and harvested for fodder. Parts of this plant are reported as poisonous — treat it as unsafe to eat and wash your hands after handling.
Verbenaceae
Verbena/Teak family
Creeping Lantana belongs to the Verbenaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Verbenaceae familySnap it. Know it.
Point your camera at Creeping Lantana or any plant and SASYA identifies it instantly — on-device, offline, and private.
Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides