Vanilla andamanica

Vanilla andamanica is an endangered wild relative of commercial vanilla, Vanilla planifolia, the source of Vanilla essence. It grows in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India in the Bay of Bengal.,[1] and classified as a Vulnerable species (VU) by the IUCN Red List.[2]

Vanilla andamanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Vanilloideae
Genus: Vanilla
Species:
V. andamanica
Binomial name
Vanilla andamanica

It has creamy white fragrant flowers, and was first identified by botanist, Robert Allen Rolfe in 1918. Today, it is part of Floriculture emphasis in the island state.,[3] also conserved in the 'Dhanikhari Experimental Botanic Garden', Port Blair, by the Botanical Survey of India.[4]

Living collections of this taxon is also under ex situ conservation outside the islands at the Field Gene Bank of Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Trivandrum, India. This is a 'narrow endemic' rarely found in the interior evergreen forests of this archipelago. The flowers are typical creamy yellowish with purple coloured interior. There are differences in opinion among taxonomists about the specific status of the Andaman taxon. According to late Seidenfaden Vanilla andamanica Rolfe is very similar to the Thailand species Vanilla albida Blume.[5]

References
  1. Geoinformatics for tropical ecosystems, by P. S. Roy, Asian Association of Remote Sensing. Publisher:Working Group on Tropical Ecosystem Management, Asian Association of Remote Sensing, 2003. ISBN 81-211-0370-3. Page 569.
  2. Vanilla andamanica Orchids: status survey and conservation action plan, by Eric Hágsater, Vinciane Dumont, Alec M. Pridgeon, IUCN/SSC Orchid Specialist Group. Publisher IUCN, 1996. ISBN 2-8317-0325-5. Page 92.
  3. Floral Wealth of Andaman & Nicobar Islands:Vanilla andamanica Rolfe (Orchid) Andaman & Nicobar Islands website.
  4. The list of Species Conserved in Botanical Gardens of Botanical Survey of India Ministry of Environment and Forests
  5. Mathew, S. P., A. Mohandas, S. M. Shreef & G. M. Nair 2005: Vanilla andamanica, Orchid Review 113:152-153.
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