{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}} {{automatic taxobox |image = Duranta (2).jpg |taxon = Duranta |authority = L.<ref name="GRIN">{{cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?4045 |title=Genus: ''Duranta'' L. |work=Germplasm Resources Information Network |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |date=1996-09-17 |access-date=2010-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010120131/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?4045 |archive-date=2012-10-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = *''Duranta dombeyana''<br> *''Duranta erecta'' *''Duranta mutisii'' *''Duranta serratifolia'' *''Duranta stenostachya'' *''Duranta triacantha'' |}}
'''''Duranta''''' is a genus of flowering plants in the verbena family, Verbenaceae.<ref name="GRIN"/> It contains 17 species of shrubs and small trees that are native from southern Florida to Mexico and South America. They are commonly cultivated as hedges and ornamental plants.
Duranta is registered as an invasive weed by many councils of Australia. It is a prolific, fast growing weed that is spread by birds from domestic areas to natural reserves. It was introduced and marketed as a hedge plant some years ago. Many people now fight to keep this thorny [http://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/duranta pest] under control. It is highly ranked in the most invasive weeds in Australia. [http://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/duranta]
==Selected species== *''Duranta dombeyana'' <small>Moldenke</small> *''Duranta erecta'' <small>L.</small> *''Duranta mutisii'' *''Duranta serratifolia'' <small>(Griseb.) Kuntze</small> *''Duranta stenostachya'' <small>Tod.</small> *''Duranta triacantha'' <small>Juss.</small><ref name="GRINSpecies">{{cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?4045 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121212032226/http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?4045 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-12-12 |title=GRIN Species Records of ''Duranta'' |work=Germplasm Resources Information Network |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |access-date=2010-12-13 }}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery> Image:Golden Dew Drops (Duranta repens) in Hyderabad W IMG 7116.jpg|''Duranta erecta'' in Hyderabad, India. Image:Golden Dew Drops (Duranta repens) in Hyderabad W IMG 7114.jpg|''Duranta erecta'' in Hyderabad, India. File:Duranta repens (Golden Dew Drops) W IMG 9162.jpg|''Duranta erecta'' at Ananthagiri Hills, in Rangareddy district of Andhra Pradesh, India. Image:Duranta (1).jpg
File:Fruits of Duranta.JPG|Fruits of duranta
Image:Golden Duranta.jpg|{{center|''Golden Duranta (Sheena's Gold)''}} Image:Duranta repens00.jpg|{{center|''Duranta repens L.''}} Image:HK Sunday Wan Chai Park Verbenaceae Duranta erecta Golden Dewdrops.JPG|Golden Dewdrops </gallery>
==References== {{commons category}} {{Wikispecies}} {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2086154}}
Category:Verbenaceae Category:Verbenaceae genera Category:Garden plants
{{Verbenaceae-stub}}