Vanilla

• Authority

  Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.

• Family

  Orchidaceae

• Scientific Name

  Vanilla

• Description

  Description - Herbaceous vines, climbing by means of aerial roots that are produced in the area of the nodes. Stems succulent, thick, glabrous, with abundant watery latex, usually caustic. Leaves alternate, articulate, succulent, coriaceous, lacking a leaf sheath. Inflorescences of short, axillary racemes, with numerous showy flowers. Flowers bisexual; calyx of free and expanded sepals; corolla of free and keeled petals; lip adnate to the semicylindrical and elongate column; ovary pedicellate, articulate; stigma with confluent lobes. Fruit elongate, indehiscent or partially dehiscent, with numerous minute seeds. A pantropical genus, of about 100 species.