Vanilla claviculata Sw.
-
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
-
Description
Description - Non-woody vine, glabrous, scarcely branched, that climbs by means of aerial roots and attains 5 m or more in length. Stems cylindrical, 3-8 mm in diameter, producing abundant watery and caustic latex when wounded; internodes 7-13 cm long; nodes swollen, with an annular scar, producing 1 or 2 grayish roots: the lateral branches pendulous. Leaves early deciduous, triangular to lanceolate, fleshy, 2.5-3.5 x 0.5-0.8 cm, the apex reflexed, the margins revolute; upper surface dull; lower surface dull. Inflorescence an erect axillary raceme with few or many flowers; bracts fleshy, broadly ovate, 5-1 1 mm long. Sepals olive-green, expanded, free, 3.5-4.5 x 1-1.3 cm, the dorsal sepal concave, the lateral ones similar, but falcate. Petals olive-green, elliptic-spatulate. keeled, shorter and broader than the sepals; lip more or less entire, completely white or with some reddish spots at the base, the midvein with numerous bifurcate hairs, the basal portion adnate to the lower third of the column; column straight, almost cylindrical, pubescent on the portion near the stigma, 2.5-3 cm long. Fruits black when ripe, pendulous, fusiform to cylindrical, slightly recurved or straight, 7-11 x 0.9-1.2 cm.
Phenology - Flowering from April to June and producing fruits infrequently (Ackerman, 1995).
Conservation Status - Native, locally common.