Tantani / टनटनी / Lantana / Lantana camara L.

Other Names

  • Local Name: Tantani / टनटनी
  • Common Name: Lantana
  • Botanical Name: Lantana camara L.

Status & Habitat

  • Habitat: Shrub
  • Occurrence: Deciduous Forest areas
  • Season of Availability: Year-round
  • Geography: American tropics
  • Method of Propagation: Vegetative Propagation
  • Part used for Propagation: Stem cutting

Edible Parts

  • Edible Parts: Fruits
  • Can be Eaten Raw: Yes

Method of Consumption

  • Raw: Yes
  • Ripe: Yes
  • Both Raw & Ripe: Yes
  • Dangerous Form to Consume: N/A
  • As Food: Fruits are eaten raw when ripe.
  • As Medicine: Lantana oil is used to treat skin itches, chicken pox and ulcers; oil is also used as an antiseptic for wounds
  • Cooking Without Prior Boiling: N/A
  • Boiling Before Cooking: N/A
  • Pickling: N/A
  • Brining: N/A
  • Fermenting: N/A
  • Drying for later Consumption: N/A
  • Overall Method: Eaten raw.

Nutritional & Medicinal Benefits

  • Nutritional Benefit: Leaf extracts exhibit antimicrobial, fungicidal, insecticidal and nematicidal activity.
  • Medicinal Benefit: Relieves Gastric troubles, fistula, tumours, malaria, rheumatic aches and pains

Tribal Wisdom

  • Tribal Wisdom: Can be used in traditional herbal medicines to treat skin itches, chicken pox and ulcers; oil is used as an antiseptic for wounds; stem pulp can be used to make paper.

Recipes / Usage

  • Tribal Recipe / Usage: Add leaves to a pot of water and let it boil, then simmer to extract compounds from the leaves. Let it steep, then strain.