Vanilla planifolia Andrews
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
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Family
Orchidaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Non-woody vine, glabrous, scarcely branched, that climbs by means of aerial roots and attains 7-10 m in length. Stems cylindrical, 5-10 mm in diameter, producing watery and caustic latex when wounded; internodes up to 12 cm long; nodes slightly swollen, producing a single adventitious root per node; the lateral branches pendulous. Leaves persistent, oblong, elliptical, or ovate, fleshy, rigid, 14-25 x 4.5-8 cm, the apex acute or acuminate, the margins entire, slightly revolute; upper surface dull; lower surface dull; petioles 1-1.5 cm long, thick. Inflorescence a pendulous axillary raceme, few-flowered; peduncle flexuous; bracts fleshy, broadly ovate, 5- 1 mm long. Sepals yellowish green, thick, free, expanded, 3.5-5.5 x 1.3 cm, elliptic-oblanceolate. Petals similar, but dorsally keeled and smaller; lip greenish yellow, reflexed at the apex, with a retuse apical lobe, the basal portion unguiculate, adnate to the column; column arcuate, 3-3.5 cm long. Fruits black when ripe, pendulous, cylindrical, fragrant, up to 25 cm long.
Phenology - Flowering from February to April, but rarely producing fruits, because its natural pollinators are not found in Puerto Rico.
Conservation Status - Exotic, naturalized by asexual reproduction.