flat leaved vanilla

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Bourbon vanilla
• vanilla
• Flat-leaved Vanilla

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Notylia planifolia
• Vanilla rubra
• Notylia sativa
• Vanilla aromatica var. bicolor
• Vanilla aromatica var. discolor
• Vanilla aromatica var. claviculata
• Vanilla planifolia var. angusta
• Epidendrum rubrum
• Vanilla aromatica var. planifolia
• Vanilla viridiflora
• Vanilla sylvestris
• Vanilla aromatica var. lutescens
• Vanilla sativa
• Vanilla sotoarenasii
• Vanilla bampsiana
• Vanilla duckei

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, known scientifically as Vanilla planifolia, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Asparagales. Ultimately, it is a member of the Orchidaceae family within the genus Vanilla.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several tropical regions. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found within the DR Congo and around the Gulf of Guinea Islands. Its presence extends into the Western Indian Ocean, specifically reaching the Comoros. Additionally, the species is located in the Mauritius island region. Finally, its range includes the remote Chagos Archipelago.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Vanilla planifolia is characterized by its adaptation to a wide range of tropical environments, thriving at elevations ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum of 1000 m AMSL. This species exhibits significant ecological plasticity, inhabiting diverse settings including anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), riparian forests or gallery forests (Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria), and terra firme forests (Floresta de Terra Firmre). It is also frequently found within ombrophilous forests, such as tropical rainforests (Floresta Ombrófila/Pluvial), as well as coastal restinga ecosystems, where it utilizes the structural complexity of these habitats to support its growth.

Elevational range max:

1000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Restinga

Life history

The life history of Vanilla planifolia is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, meaning it persists through multiple growing seasons rather than completing its cycle in a single year. As a climbing orchid, its development begins with the germination of microscopic seeds, which require specific symbiotic fungi to thrive in their natural habitat. Once established, the plant focuses on the development of vigorous, succulent green stems and adventitious aerial roots that allow it to anchor itself to host trees or supports to reach upward toward sunlight. Over its extended lifespan, the plant undergoes a seasonal cycle of vegetative growth followed by a flowering phase, where fragrant, pale-colored blossoms emerge. These flowers are ephemeral, often lasting only a day, and require specific pollination triggers to transition into the development of the green, elongated seed pods. As the life cycle progresses, these pods undergo a complex curing process to reach maturity, while the plant itself continues to expand its climbing structure and produce new shoots, maintaining its presence in the ecosystem for many years.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Vanilla planifolia is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and a forb, exhibiting a climbing habit that is classified as an obligatory liana. As a terrestrial plant, it does not function as an epiphyte or a parasite, maintaining an independent existence. The plant displays a prostrate shoot orientation and can reach a maximum plant height of 15 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Climber :

obligatory

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

15 m

Shoot orientation :

prostrate

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Vanilla planifolia is characterized by specific morphological dimensions and metabolic properties that define its growth patterns. The foliage consists of elongated leaves, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 8 cm to a maximum of 25 cm, and widths that fluctuate between 2 cm and 8 cm. Unlike many tropical climbers, this species does not exhibit succulence, meaning its tissues are not specialized for significant water storage within the leaf structure. Furthermore, from a nutrient cycling perspective, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the availability of nitrogen within the soil or substrate to support its physiological processes and vegetative development.

Leaf length max:

25 cm

Leaf length min:

8 cm

Leaf width max:

8 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Vanilla planifolia is driven by a complex biological process involving specific floral characteristics and specialized ecological interactions. The plant produces flowers characterized by a yellow color, which are borne on inflorescences that are relatively small, ranging in length from a minimum of 0.05 m to a maximum of 0.08 m. The pollination syndrome is fundamentally biotic, primarily relying on insect vectors, with specific involvement from moths to facilitate fertilization. Following successful pollination, the plant develops a fruit (often referred to as a vanilla bean) that varies in size, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 10 cm up to a maximum of 25 cm. The dispersal of these fruits is classified as anthropochorous, meaning the movement and spreading of the plant's progeny are heavily influenced by human activity.

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Fruit length max:

25 cm

Fruit length min:

10 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.08 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.05 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

moth

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Vanilla planifolia has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP

Chemicals

Vanilla planifolia has 200 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include vanillin, 1,3-BUTANEDIOL, 1-(4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXYPHENYL)-2-PROPANONE, 1-Hexadecanol, 1-OCTEN-3-OL.

vanillin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecular and cellular biochemistry

1,3-BUTANEDIOL

1. Dr. Duke

1-(4-HYDROXY-3-METHOXYPHENYL)-2-PROPANONE

1. Dr. Duke

1-Hexadecanol

1. Dr. Duke

1-OCTEN-3-OL

1. Dr. Duke

1-TETRADECANOL

1. Dr. Duke

10-METHYLEICOSANE

1. Dr. Duke

2,4,6-HEPTANETRIONE

1. Dr. Duke

2,4,6-trimethylacetophenone

1. Dr. Duke

2,4-DECADIENAL

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Vanilla planifolia has 410 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include 5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor, 5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor, AChE-Inhibitor, Acaricide, Acetylcholinergic.

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AChE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Acetylcholinergic

1. Dr. Duke

Acidulant

1. Dr. Duke

Addictive

1. Dr. Duke

Adrenergic

1. Dr. Duke

Aggregant

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Vanilla planifolia has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, neuroblastoma.

Enterococcus

1. Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP

Staphylococcus aureus

1. Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP

Streptococcus mutans

1. Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP

Neuroblastoma

1. Molecular and cellular biochemistry

Preparations

Vanilla planifolia has 2 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include extract, methanolic extraction.

Extract

1. Journal of oral and maxillofacial pathology : JOMFP

Methanolic extraction

1. Toxicology reports