Distribution:  Worldwide, but as opposed to other elements of the Lamiales, with greatest diversity in the tropics. We have 14 genera and 69 species in the Texas flora, including a single endemic species in South Texas.

Floral structure:

Significant features:  This family carries the distinctive gynoecium of the Lamiales in that the ovary usually shows a second septum, producing 4 locules and each of these has only a single seed.  However, the lobing in most taxa is not as extensive as that found in the Boraginaceae and Lamiaceae and the style is not gynobasic, it is usually positioned at the tip of the ovary.  Taxa of the Verbenaceae, especially the herbs, tend of show quadrangular stems and all have opposite leaves.  This similarity to the Lamiaceae also extends to corolla zygomorphy but this is less developed in the Verbenaceae and usually expressed as an asymmetry in the corolla lobes as opposed to the bilabiate ('two-lipped') corolla configuration common among the mints..
 
 

Lantana includes of ca. 150 shrubby species, mostly from the American tropics.  Our flora includes native wild species and 'escapes' from cultivation.  Note weak zygomorphy (one petal lobe larger than the others) characteristic of the family

ornamental hybrid	racemose inflorescence	capitate inflorescence

at anthesis	just past anthesis	fruit - mid summer	mature fruit

More information on the Verbenaceae