Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of a Lavender-flowered Selection of Trailing Lantana

Lantana montevidensis (synonym Lantana sellowiana; Verbenaceae), commonly known as trailing lantana, weeping lantana, and trailing shrubverbena, is a weak-stemmed, trailing shrub from South America with coarsely toothed leaves up to 2.5 cm long and lavender (less often white) flowers in clusters 2.5 cm or more in diameter. Often used as an ornamental groundcover in the landscape and in patio containers, L. montevidensis has escaped cultivation to become naturalized in parts of the southern United States, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and India. Foliage of L. sellowiana is aromatic, releasing essential oils when crushed or brushed against. Essential oils and other phytochemicals produced by plants for defense against insects, bacteria, and fungi may have potential as plant-based biopesticides and repellents. The chemical composition of the essential oil of a common, nursery-grown, lavender-flowered selection of Lantana montevidensis was investigated in this study. Essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation of aerial parts for 3 hours using a Clevenger-type apparatus and analyzed using gas chromatography–flame ionization detector and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Lantana montevidensis essential oil was rich in mainly sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, followed by oxygenated sesquiterpenes and monoterpene hydrocarbons. Further research will investigate the mosquito repellent activity of the essential oil of L. montevidensis.