Vanilla planifolia

Last updated

Vanilla planifolia
Vanilla planifolia - Kohler-s Medizinal-Pflanzen-278.jpg
1887 illustration from
Köhler's Medicinal Plants
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Vanilloideae
Genus: Vanilla
Species:
V. planifolia
Binomial name
Vanilla planifolia
Synonyms [4]
  • Epidendrum rubrumLam.
  • Myrobroma fragransSalisb. nom. illeg.
  • Notylia planifolia(Jacks. ex Andrews) Conz.
  • Notylia sativa(Schiede) Conz.
  • Notylia sylvestris(Schiede) Conz. nom. illeg.
  • Vanilla aromaticaWilld. nom. illeg.
  • Vanilla bampsianaGeerinck
  • Vanilla duckeiHuber
  • Vanilla fragransAmes nom. illeg.
  • Vanilla rubra(Lam.) Urb.
  • Vanilla sativaSchiede
  • Vanilla sylvestrisSchiede
  • Vanilla viridifloraBlume

Vanilla planifolia is a species of vanilla orchid native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Brazil. [2] It is one of the primary sources for vanilla flavouring, due to its high vanillin content. Common names include flat-leaved vanilla, [5] and West Indian vanilla (also used for the Pompona vanilla, V. pompona ). Often, it is simply referred to as "the vanilla". It was first scientifically named in 1808. With the species' population in decline and its habitats being converted to other purposes, the IUCN has assessed Vanilla planifolia as Endangered. [1]

Contents

Description

Vanilla planifolia grows as an evergreen vine, either on the ground or on trees. [6] It will sometimes grow as an epiphyte without rooting in the soil. When rooted in the soil its terrestrial roots are branched and develop fine root hairs associated with mycorrhizal fungus. [7] In the wild it easily grows to 15 meters in length, [8] and may grow to as much as 30 meters. [2] When growing in full shade the vine will very seldom branch, but when in sunlight it will develop multiple branches. Younger parts of the vine, well attached to their support, will have a zig-zag structure with an angle of about 120° at each node. [9] To cling to trees or other surfaces it has thick, fleshy aerial roots that develop from the nodes. [6] These aerial support roots almost never branch and are only present on younger parts of the vine while the older parts of the vine will hang down through the canopy to the forest floor. [9] On the nodes opposite the root nodes it has a single flat bladed succulent leaf. [5] When full grown the glossy, bright green leaves are 8–25 cm in length and 2–8 cm wide, lanceolate to oval in shape with a pointed tip. Leaves last for three to four years if not damaged. [7]

Flowers

Vanilla planifolia, flower Vanilla planifolia (6998639597).jpg
Vanilla planifolia, flower

The flowers come from an axillary cluster that will have 12–20 buds. [6] The flowers are greenish-yellow, with a diameter of 5 cm (2 in) and only have a slight scent. [5] The flowers require pollination to set fruit, but open in the morning and usually fade in rising temperatures of the same afternoon. [6] Though each flower lasts only one day, the flowering of Vanilla planifolia takes place over a period of two months once a year. [7] In the native lowland forest habitat flowering takes place in April and May towards the end of the dry season. [1] The plants are self-fertile, and pollination simply requires a transfer of the pollen from the anther to the stigma, but have a structure to prevent this from happening without intervention. [10] In the wild, there is only around a 1% chance that the flowers will be pollinated. [11]

Fruit

Fruit is produced only on mature plants, which are generally over 3 m (10 ft) long. The fruits are 15–23 cm (6–9 in) long pods (often incorrectly called beans). Outwardly they resemble small bananas. They mature after about eight to nine months. [7]

Taxonomy

The first scientific description of Vanilla planifolia was published by Henry Charles Andrews in the eighth volume of his The Botanist's Repository. [2] In his description he credits Charles Plumier as having published a description of it in 1703 as the third species of the genus Vanilla. He created the drawing in his book from a specimen that bloomed in a hothouse belonging to Charles Greville. [12]

Distribution and habitat

Vanilla planifolia is a native of the neotropical realm, from southern Mexico through Central America, Colombia, and the northern portions of Brazil. [11] [2] Previously it had been thought to be native to just southern Mexico and Belize. [13] [1] Because of cultivation it has additionally spread to a number of tropical areas including south Florida, the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, tropical portions of Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, French Guiana, Suriname, and Guyana in the Americas. It is also recorded as growing in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Comoros, Bangladesh, the Malay Peninsula, the island of Java, the Chagos Archipelago, Cook Island, the Island of New Guinea, and New Caledonia. [2]

Vanilla planifolia requires a humid, warm tropical climate and grows best between 20 and 30 °C (68 and 86 °F) in humid conditions. It can only accept a minimum of 10 °C (50 °F) and a maximum of 33 °C (91 °F). Minimum rainfall requirements are about 2000 mm per year. [9] For good growth it also needs a soil with plenty of available calcium and potassium. It also prefers well-draining soils and a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. [14] The natural altitude range is from 150 to 900 meters. To trigger flowering it requires a dry period in the spring. [1]

Due to human land uses for crops and timber the required habitat for Vanilla planifolia has become very reduced and fragmented. The number of mature individuals in the wild is declining and the amount of suitable habitat also continues to decline. The IUCN assessed it as endangered in 2017, publishing it in 2020. [1]

Ecology

In its native habitat Vanilla planifolia depends on one or more pollinators. Several species of bee have been proposed including Euglossa species, Eulaema cingulata , Eulaema polychroma , Eulaema meriana , and Melipona beecheii for pollination. [5] However, no definitive observation of pollination is recorded and the size of M. beecheii in particular make it unlikely to be a pollinator of this species of orchid, [15] though unpublished observations suggest that Euglossa (reported as E. viridissima, but this species has historically been confused with other Euglossa species [16] ) might be capable of completing pollination. [17]

Though the seeds of Vanilla planifolia are very small, they are relatively large for an orchid and are not dispersed by the wind. Instead they spread through the rain forest habitat by many different animals. [18] Male orchid bees in the tribe Euglossini in the genera Euglossa and Eulaema exhibit fragrance collecting behavior with the fruits. Specific species observed removing seeds as part of this behavior include Euglossa bursigera , Euglossa ignita , Euglossa tridentata , and Eulaema cingulata . Conversely female stingless bees remove the pulp of fruit in a behavior consistent with nest building activities. The two species observed distributing V. planifolia seeds this way are Eulaema polychroma and Scaptotrigona subobscuripennis . [18] Seeds being distributed by bees is a rare behavior and has only been documented in three species of tropical trees previously, the cadaghi Corymbia torelliana , Coussapoa asperifolia subsp. magnifolia, and Zygia racemosa . Both rodents and marsupials are confirmed to consume fallen pods on the forest floor. The specific species observed eating the pods include Tome's spiny rat (Proechimys semispinosus) and the common opossum (Didelphis marsupialis). Further experiments by the team led by Dr Adam Karremans showed that seeds were viable after being passed through the gut, but it did not increase or decrease germination significantly. [18]

Chemistry

The major chemical components from the pods are vanillin, vanillic acid, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. [19] Vanillin makes up 80% of the total aromatic compounds found in the pods, in contrast to the 50% content of Vanilla × tahitensis pods. Some of the other chemicals found in lesser amounts in the pods of Vanilla planifolia such as guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, acetovanilone, and vanillic alcohol also contribute to the perception of a vanilla flavor. [10]

Contact dermatitis

The sap of most species of Vanilla orchid which exudes from cut stems or where pods are harvested can cause moderate to severe dermatitis if it comes in contact with bare skin, though it is water-soluble and can be removed by washing. The sap of vanilla orchids contains calcium oxalate crystals, which appear to be the main causative agent of contact dermatitis in vanilla plantation workers. [2] [20]

Cultivation

Vanilla planifolia has been propagated clonally through cuttings rather than from seeds and selective breeding. [21] As of 2023 there is only one patented cultivar, "Handa", and very few other named cultivars. The most important of these cultivars for commercial growing are the "Mansa" types. There are also two variegated cultivars sold for ornamental gardening. [7] Though there are five known attempted introductions to Reunion Island between 1793 and 1875, only the 1822 introduction was successful. It is likely that almost all the vanilla grown in the areas surrounding the Indian Ocean are descended from this one introduction and this is supported by modern genetic research. Vanilla as a crop could be threatened by this genetic bottleneck and the subsequent buildup of negative mutations. [21]

Because of the low rate of pollination, even in areas with pollinators, and rare to nonexistent elsewhere, the flowers must be hand-pollinated when grown on farms. Once beans in a cluster turn yellow and ripe, the whole cluster is generally harvested and cured. Curing involves fermentation and drying of the pod to develop the characteristic vanilla flavor while minimizing the loss of essential oils. Vanilla extract is obtained from this portion of the plant. [7]

It is cultivated and harvested primarily in Veracruz, Mexico, Tahiti, Indonesia, and Madagascar. [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orchid</span> Family of flowering plants in the order Asparagales

Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae, a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Earth except glaciers. The world's richest diversity of orchid genera and species is found in the tropics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanilla</span> Spice extracted from orchids of the genus Vanilla

Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily obtained from pods of the flat-leaved vanilla (V. planifolia).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanillin</span> Chemical compound

Vanillin is an organic compound with the molecular formula C8H8O3. It is a phenolic aldehyde. Its functional groups include aldehyde, hydroxyl, and ether. It is the primary component of the extract of the vanilla bean. Synthetic vanillin is now used more often than natural vanilla extract as a flavoring in foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals.

<i>Vanilla</i> (genus) Genus of flowering plants in the orchid family Orchidaceae

Vanilla, the vanilla orchids, forms a flowering plant genus of about 110 species in the orchid family (Orchidaceae). The most widely known member is the flat-leaved vanilla, native to Mexico and Belize, from which commercial vanilla flavoring is derived. It is the only orchid widely used for industrial purposes in flavoring such products as foods, beverages and cosmetics, and is recognized as the most popular aroma and flavor. The key constituent imparting its flavour is the phenolic aldehyde, vanillin.

<i>Dendrophylax lindenii</i> Species of orchid

Dendrophylax lindenii, the ghost orchid is a perennial epiphyte from the orchid family (Orchidaceae). It is native to Florida, the Bahamas, and Cuba. Other common names include palm polly and white frog orchid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euglossini</span> Tribe of bees

The tribe Euglossini, in the subfamily Apinae, commonly known as orchid bees or euglossine bees, are the only group of corbiculate bees whose non-parasitic members do not all possess eusocial behavior.

Domesticated plants of Mesoamerica, established by agricultural developments and practices over several thousand years of pre-Columbian history, include maize and capsicum. A list of Mesoamerican cultivars and staples:

<i>Epipactis atrorubens</i> Species of orchid

Epipactis atrorubens, the dark-red helleborine or royal helleborine, is an herbaceous plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae.

<i>Restrepia guttulata</i> Species of orchid

Restrepia guttulata, commonly called the small-spotted restrepia, is a species of orchid occurring from Venezuela to Ecuador.

<i>Vanilla pompona</i> Species of orchid

Vanilla pompona is a species of vanilla orchid. It is native to Mexico and northern South America, and is one of the sources for vanilla flavouring, due to its high vanillin content.

<i>Vanilla polylepis</i> Species of orchid

Vanilla polylepis is a climbing orchid species in the plant family Orchidaceae. It is native to tropical Africa, with a range spanning the width of the continent, from Kenya to Angola. It grows in high-altitude evergreen and swamp forests between 1,200–1,500 m (3,900–4,900 ft) and is often found growing on trees bordering rivers and waterfalls. Plants produce bright green, fleshy stems, 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in) in diameter, with large, glossy leaves. White, aerial roots form on the stems allowing the orchids to attach themselves to trees for support. As with many orchids, they produce showy flowers, which in the case of V. polylepis are white and yellow with a pink to maroon blotch. This differentiates them from similar species. They have seedpod-like fruits, called capsules, which produce a distinctive aroma as they dry. They are closely related to the well-known species Vanilla planifolia, whose seed pods are used commercially in the production of vanilla flavouring.

<i>Euglossa hyacinthina</i> Species of bee

Euglossa hyacinthina, is a species of the orchid bee tribe Euglossini in the family Apidae. With a tongue that can get up to as long as 4 cm, this orchid bee species is found in Central America. Living in a neotropical climate, E.hyacinthina has adapted to hot and humid weather. The bee has darkly shaded, translucent wings and a metallic, glossy blue skeleton.

<i>Euglossa dilemma</i> Species of bee

Euglossa dilemma, the green orchid bee or dilemma orchid bee, is a species of solitary euglossine bee native to a broad area of Central America, and recently introduced to Florida in the United States. It was first detected in Broward County, Florida in 2003, and initially identified as Euglossa viridissima, but further study revealed that E. viridissima as previously defined consisted of two cryptic species, and the one present in Florida was new to science.

<i>Eulaema meriana</i> Species of bee

Eulaema meriana is a large-bodied bee species in the tribe Euglossini, otherwise known as the orchid bees. The species is a solitary bee and is native to tropical Central and South America. The male collects fragrances from orchid flowers, which it stores in hollows in its hind legs. Orchids can be deceptive by mimicking the form of a female and her sex pheromone, thus luring male bees or wasps. Pollination will take place as the males attempt to mate with the labellum, or the tip petal of the flower. Male E. meriana are territorial and have a particular perch on a tree trunk where it displays to attract a female. After mating, the female builds a nest with urn-shaped cells made with mud, feces, and plant resin, and provisions these with nectar and pollen before laying an egg in each. These bees also have complex foraging and wing buzzing behaviors and are part of a mimicry complex.

<i>Euglossa cordata</i> Species of bee

Euglossa cordata is a primitively eusocial orchid bee of the American tropics. The species is known for its green body color and ability to fly distances of over 50 km. Males mostly disperse and leave their home nests, while females have been observed to possess philopatric behavior. Because of this, sightings are rare and little is known about the species. However, it has been observed that adults who pollinate certain species of orchids will become intoxicated during the pollination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanilla production in French Polynesia</span> Crop production in French Polynesia

Vanilla production contributes to the local economy of French Polynesia. Although it was a major export crop after its introduction by the French in 1848, vanilla is no longer a significant export product.

<i>Vanilla <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> tahitensis</i> Species of orchid

Vanilla × tahitensis is a hybrid orchid in the genus Vanilla. It was first described by the botanist John William Moore in 1933 from Raiatea in the Society Islands, where it was found growing on trees, having escaped from cultivation.

<i>Euglossa imperialis</i> Species of bee

Euglossa imperialis is a bee species in the family Apidae. It is considered to be one of the most important pollinators to many Neotropical orchid species in mainland tropical America. It is also one of the most common non-parasitic euglossine species in lowland Panama. E. imperialis, unlike many other bee species, is not a social bee in the sense that there is no apparent morphological or physiological division within the species to distinguish individual bees to be part of a worker or reproductive caste.

<i>Euglossa mixta</i> Species of insect

Euglossa mixta is a species of orchid bee native to Central America and South America, it is a member of the genus Euglossa a group of brilliant green and blue bees specialized in pollinating certain species of orchids.

<i>Vanilla odorata</i> Species of plant in the family Orchidaceae

Vanilla odorata, also known as vanilla tlatepusco, is a species of flowering plant in the family Orchidaceae, native to southern Mexico, Central America, and tropical South America. With Vanilla planifolia it is a parent of the vanilla crop species Vanilla × tahitensis.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vega, M.; Hernández, M.; Herrera-Cabrera, B.E.; Wegier, A. (2020). "Vanilla planifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T103090930A172970359. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T103090930A172970359.en . Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 POWO (2023). "Vanilla planifolia Andrews". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "Vanilla planifolia Andrews". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000. n.d. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  4. ↑ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species , retrieved 26 January 2016
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Vanilla planifolia (Commercial Vanilla, Flat Leaved Vanilla)". Go Orchids. North American Orchid Conservation Center. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Vanilla planifolia". Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder. Missouri Botanical Garden. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Chambers, Alan; Moon, Pamela; De Verlands Edmond, Vovener; Brym, Maria; Bassil, Elias; Wu, Xingbo (27 January 2023). "Vanilla Cultivation in Southern Florida: HS1348, rev. 1/2023". EDIS. 2023 (1). doi: 10.32473/edis-hs1348-2023 . Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "Vanilla - Vanilla planifolia". www.kew.org. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Schlüter, Philipp M.; Soto Arenas, Miguel A.; Harris, Stephen A. (December 2007). "Genetic Variation in Vanilla planifolia (Orchidaceae)" (PDF). Economic Botany. 61 (4): 328–336. doi:10.1663/0013-0001(2007)61[328:GVIVPO]2.0.CO;2. S2CID   27092474.
  10. 1 2 de Oliveira, Renatha Tavares; da Silva Oliveira, Joana Paula; Macedo, Andrea Furtado (30 November 2022). "Vanilla beyond Vanilla planifolia and Vanilla × tahitensis: Taxonomy and Historical Notes, Reproductive Biology, and Metabolites". Plants. 11 (23): 3311. doi: 10.3390/plants11233311 . PMC   9739750 . PMID   36501350.
  11. 1 2 Watteyn, Charlotte; Fremout, Tobias; Karremans, Adam P.; Huarcaya, Ruthmery Pillco; Azofeifa Bolaños, José B.; Reubens, Bert; Muys, Bart (March 2020). "Vanilla distribution modeling for conservation and sustainable cultivation in a joint land sparing/sharing concept". Ecosphere. 11 (3). doi: 10.1002/ecs2.3056 .
  12. ↑ Andrews, Henry Charles (1808). The botanist's repository for new, and rare plants containing coloured figures of such plants, as have not hitherto appeared in any similar publication with all their essential characters, botanically arranged, after the sexual system of the celebrated Linnaeus in English and Latin To each description is added, a short history of the plant, as to its time of flowering, culture, native place of growth, when introduced, and by whom The whole executed by Henry Andrews. Vol. 8. London: The author. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  13. ↑ Ellestad, Paige; Forest, Félix; Serpe, Marcelo; Novak, Stephen J; Buerki, Sven (21 June 2021). "Harnessing large-scale biodiversity data to infer the current distribution of Vanilla planifolia (Orchidaceae)". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 196 (3): 407–422. doi:10.1093/botlinnean/boab005 . Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  14. ↑ "Vanilla Diseases and Pests, Description, Uses, Propagation". plantvillage.psu.edu.
  15. ↑ Lubinsky, Pesach; Van Dam, Matthew; Van Dam, Alex (January 2006). ""Pollination of Vanilla and evolution in Orchidaceae"". Lindleyana. 75: 926–929. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  16. ↑ Eltz, Thomas; Fritzsch, Falko; Zimmermann, Yvonne; Pech, Jorge Ramirez; Ramirez, Santiago R.; Quezada-Euan, J. Javier G.; Bembe, Benjamin (2011). "Characterization of the orchid bee Euglossa viridissima (Apidae: Euglossini) and a novel cryptic sibling species, by morphological, chemical, and genetic characters". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 2011 (163): 1064–1076. doi: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00740.x .
  17. ↑ Schlüter, Philipp M.; Arenas, Miguel A. Soto; Harris, Stephen A. (2007). "Genetic Variation in Vanilla planifolia (Orchidaceae)". Economic Botany. 61 (4): 328–336. doi:10.1663/0013-0001(2007)61[328:GVIVPO]2.0.CO;2. ISSN   0013-0001. JSTOR   25568893. S2CID   27092474 . Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  18. 1 2 3 Karremans, Adam P.; Bogarín, Diego; Fernández Otárola, Mauricio; Sharma, Jyotsna; Watteyn, Charlotte; Warner, Jorge; Rodríguez Herrera, Bernal; Chinchilla, Isler F.; Carman, Ernesto; Rojas Valerio, Emmanuel; Pillco Huarcaya, Ruthmery; Whitworth, Andy (January 2023). "First evidence for multimodal animal seed dispersal in orchids". Current Biology. 33 (2): 364–371.e3. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2022.11.041. PMID   36521493. S2CID   254705363.
  19. ↑ Reinvestigation of vanillin contents and component ratios of vanilla extracts using high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. Scharrer A and Mosandl A, Deutsche Lebensmittel-Rundschau, 2001, volume 97, number 12, pages 449-456, INIST : 14118840
  20. ↑ "Vanilla planifolia Vanilla PFAF Plant Database". pfaf.org.
  21. 1 2 Favre, Félicien; Jourda, Cyril; Grisoni, Michel; Piet, Quentin; Rivallan, Ronan; Dijoux, Jean-Bernard; Hascoat, Jérémy; Lepers-Andrzejewski, Sandra; Besse, Pascale; Charron, Carine (August 2022). "A genome-wide assessment of the genetic diversity, evolution and relationships with allied species of the clonally propagated crop Vanilla planifolia Jacks. ex Andrews". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 69 (6): 2125–2139. doi: 10.1007/s10722-022-01362-1 . Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  22. ↑ GRIN-Global Web v 1.9.4.2: Taxonomy of Vanilla planifolia
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