DN FLOWERS AND PETS Compiled by Damayanthi Hewamanna Adopt-a-Stray Dog lovers interested in Gunewardene. The pup- served basis between 3.00 Ham ‘n Eggs taking home healthy, vacci- pies have been rescued off p.m. and 6 p.m. nated, warmed and the streets and cared for by Volunteers from Embark groomed homeless puppies the Lucy Trust and the will make periodic visits to have been invited to visit a Laika Therapy Centre, and home that adopt dogs to demarcated area near the their re-homing will be offer advice and help where entrance at ODEL’s facilitated by Embark, needed. Sterilisation Alexandra Place store on which will register the new surgery, if requested by the Lantana that day, to make their pick owners and offer advice new owners of the adopted tomorrow. and follow-up assistance to dogs, will be provided free Lantana is a genus of carenes thus unwittingly related fiddlewoods Scores of bundles of ensure happy and success- of charge by Embark. about 150 species of peren- contribute to the degrada- (Citharexylum). canine joy will seek new ful adoptions. Embark began in March nial flowering plants, native tion of their home ecosys- The small Lantana-feed- homes and loving families Two special marquees 2007 with the aim of reduc- to tropical regions of the tem. ing moths Epinotia lantana Lantara at the first ‘Take Me Home’ and a dog pen will be set up ing cruelty to animals and Americas, Africa and exist- Biological control of and Lantanophaga pusilli- Adoption Day organized for the Adoption Day on focusing on animal well- ing as an imported plant in introduced lantanas has dactyla, while not becom- c-nigrum). The Swamp The Sweet Potato Whitefly by ‘Embark’, the personal May 31 and puppies aged 3 being and initiated a range numerous areas, especially been attempted, without ing pests, have nonetheless Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) (Bemisia tabaci) is a com- CSR initiative of ODEL to 12 months will be given of activities to achieve in the Australian-Pacific robust success. In Aus- failed to stem the spread of is one of the few mammals mon greenhouse pest and is founder and CEO Otara away on a first-come, first- these goals. region. The genus includes tralia, about 30 insects have the invasive weed, as has that eat Lantana leaves often distributed with both herbaceous plants and been introduced in an the Lantana Scrub- without apparent ill effect. infested lantanas. shrubs growing to 0.5-2 m As a positive aspect, lan- tall. Their common names tanas are useful as honey are shrub verbenas or lan- plants, and Spanish Flag Human use The Funny Corner tanas. which is why camara, Lantana species are wide- Lantana’s aromatic flow- lilacina and trifolia are ly cultivated for their flow- er clusters (umbels) are a sometimes planted for this ers in tropical and subtropi- mix of red, orange, yellow, purpose, or in butterfly gar- cal environments and (as or blue and white florets. dening. Butterflies which an annual plant) in temper- Other colours exist as new are attracted to lantana ate climates. varieties are being selected. flowers are most notably Though lantanas are gen- The flowers typically Papilioninae (swallowtail erally hardy and, being change color as they and birdwing butterflies). somewhat toxic, usually mature, resulting in inflo- Hesperiidae (skippers) and rejected by herbivores, they rescences that are two or certain brush-footed butter- may still become infested three-coloured. A common flies (namely Danainae and with pests, though pest name for Lantana Camara Heliconiinae), as well as control insecticidal soaps is ‘Ham ‘n Eggs’ due to the Lantara Gold mound hort some Pieridae and are harmful to these plants. adjacent pink and yellow Lycaenidae also like to visit Lantana berries are edible inflorescences. Kingdom : Plantae the plants’ flowers. Conse- when ripe though like many Some species are inva- (unranked) : Angiosperms quently, as total eradication fruit are mildly poisonous if sive, and are considered to of LantanaI seems often eaten while still green. (unranked) : Eudicots be noxious weeds, such as impossible, it may in many Though the stems even Weird High five in South Asia, Southern (unranked) : Asterids cases be better to simply of larger Lantanas are thin, Africa and Australia. In the Order : Lamiales remove plants with imma- the wood is very tough and United States, lantanas are ture (green) fruit to pre- durable and thus useful for naturalized in the south- Family : Verbenaceae vent them from spreading. various handicrafts such as east, especially coastal Genus : Lantana Some weaverbirds, like wickerwork. The Soliga of regions of the Carolinas, the Black-throated Weaver Karnataka (India) are Georgia, Florida, and the attempt to control the hairstreak butterfly (Stry- (Ploceus benghalensis) and nowadays utilizing Lantana Gulf Coast. spread of lantanas, and this mon bazochii) which was the Streaked Weaver (man- in their wicker craft. The The spread of lantana is has caused problems of its introduced to control lan- yar), highly value Lantana plant is an invasive weed aided by the characteristic own. The Lantana Bug tanas on the Hawaiian flowers for decorating their there, and has displaced of their leaves, which are (Aconophora compressa) Islands. nests. An ability to procure much of the bamboo which somewhat poisonous to for example is a Other Lepidoptera spectacular and innovative formerly was the preferred most animals, while their polyphagous species intro- whose caterpillars feed on decorations appears to be material for Soliga artisans. fruit is a delicacy for many duced in 1995 that feeds on Lantana species include the desired by females, and By selectively harvesting birds which distribute the dozens of plants, and not Common Splendid Ghost consequently is an indica- lantanas for their craft, they seeds. Birds like the Yellow- only has it failed to have a Moth (Aenetus ligniveren), tor of the males’ fitness. are again able to make a liv- Tag! You’re it. fronted White-eye of Vanu- noticeable impact on the Aenetus scotti, Endoclita Ceratobasidium ing, as well as assisting the atu, the Superb Fairy-wren lantana population, it has malabaricus, Hypercompe cornigerum is a higher fun- recovery of the native in Australia or the Mauri- even become a pest in hor- orsa and the Setaceous gus which parasitizes Lan- ecosystem and reducing the tius Bulbul in the Mas- ticulture, parasitizing the Hebrew Character (Xestia tana among other plants. risk of forest fires.

Black and White Jack Sparrow

Please send your contributions to [email protected], [email protected] or Flowers and Pets, No. 35, D.R. Wijewardene Mw, Colombo 10. Lantara Camara Yellow Sage Verbereceae Lantararadiation-painted lady butterfly Cultivars of Lantara =