Bird's brandy, Mauve lantana
Lantana angolensis
Family: Verbenaceae
What it is like
A shrub. It grows 1.5 m tall. It can be a bushy herb 20-70 cm high. There are several stems from a woody rootstock. The leafy branches are often short and have leaves crowded together. The leaves are 3-6 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. There are teeth around the edge. The flowering spikes are about 1 cm long. The fruit are about 3 mm long by 3 mm wide. They are dark purple when mature.
There are about 150 Lantana species.
Where it is found
It is a tropical plant. It grows in woodlands and on rocky outcrops. It grows between 850-1,500 m altitude. It grows in hot arid places with a marked dry season. It can grow in arid places.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used for food
The fruit are eaten raw.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Namandongo, Wildesalie