Orchidaceae FAMILY

Vanilla inodora

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Vanilla inodora is a succulent-stemmed, perennial climbing plant, producing a stem that can be 7 metres or more long. The plant grows into trees, supporting itself by means of aerial roots that are produced from the stem nodes. It is often epiphytic, or becomes epiphytic as the lower portion of the stem withers and dies. The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for local medicinal use.

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeNorthern S. America - Venezuela; Central America - Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico.

HabitatRather dry, forested slopes[ 592 Title Contributions to The Flora of Venezuela. Publication Author Steyermark J.A. Et al Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org Publisher Chicago Natural History Museum; Chicago. Year 1951 - 1957 ISBN Description An excellent flora, though made at a time when botanical knowledge of the areas was still very lacking. ]. Growing on trees in rocky woodland at elevations from 15 - 780 metres[ 342 Title Flora of Jamaica Publication Author Fawcett. W. & Rendle. A. B. Publisher British Museum Year 1910 ISBN Description Rather dated, so many name changes. Nevertheless, a very good guide to the plants of the Caribbean. The book is out of copyright and can be legally downloaded from various websites. , 426 Title Flowering Plants of Jamaica Publication Author Adams. C.D. Publisher University of the West Indies; Jamaica. Year 1972 ISBN Description A terse treatment of the flowering plants of Jamaica, with a botanical description of each plant, notes on habitat etc. ].