Vanilla (genus)
Spice Vanilla ( Vanilla planifolia )
Vanilla ( Vanilla ) is a genus of tropical and subtropical plant species from the orchid family ( Orchidaceae).
Description
The species of the genus Vanilla are evergreen, perennial climbing plants, rooted directly in soil ( terrestrial) or halbepiphytisch grow. The thick, bald, green, monopodial shoot axis sometimes branches and succulent. The gray - green roots arise at each node of the stem axis. Its leaves are leathery, thick and fleshy; they can be large and oblong or scaly.
The racemose inflorescence is short and densely covered with flowers. The short-lived flowers are striking. The sepals are free. The fruit is botanically elongated capsules or leathery berries ( also when the fermented fruit " vanilla beans " used as a spice called ) with, as with all types of orchids, very many, very small seeds.
Dissemination
The distribution of the genus are the tropical and subtropical regions of different continents. There are areas in the southern part of North America, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Central Africa, Madagascar, Southeast Asia and the western Pacific islands.
The original distribution of most species is the southern America, with a few species, such as Vanilla imperialis or Vanilla roscheri are native to the African continent.
Use
The best-known and economically important representative is the spice vanilla or vanilla True (Vanilla planifolia ). From the fermented capsules ( " vanilla beans " ) of this plant, the spice is extracted vanilla. Some other vanilla species such as the Tahitian vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Vanilla and tahitensis ) are used commercially. These Vanilla - types can be used in the kitchen. Since the ingredients are, however, composed a little different from the genuine vanilla, the flavor is not quite as fruity. Tahiti vanilla, however, is used primarily for use in cosmetics.
System
The genus includes about 100 Vanilla species, of which about 15 species bear aromatic fruit. Here is a listing:
- Vanilla abundiflora
- Vanilla acuminata
- Vanilla africana
- Vanilla albida
- Vanilla andamanica
- Vanilla angustipetala
- Vanilla annamica
- Vanilla aphylla
- Vanilla appendiculata
- Vanilla bahiana
- Vanilla barbellata
- Vanilla bertoniensis
- Vanilla bicolor
- Vanilla borneensis
- Vanilla bradei
- Vanilla Calopogon
- Vanilla calyculata
- Vanilla carinata
- Vanilla chalotii
- Vanilla chamissonis
- Vanilla claviculata
- Vanilla columbiana
- Vanilla coursii
- Vanilla crenulata
- Vanilla cristagalli
- Vanilla cucullata
- Vanilla decaryana
- Vanilla diabolica
- Vanilla dilloniana
- Vanilla dubia
- Vanilla dungsii
- Vanilla edwallii
- Vanilla fimbriata
- Vanilla francoisii
- Vanilla gardneri
- Vanilla giulianettii
- Vanilla grandiflora
- Vanilla grandifolia
- Vanilla griffithii
- Vanilla guianensis
- Vanilla hallei
- Vanilla hamata
- Vanilla hartii
- Vanilla havilandii
- Vanilla helleri
- Vanilla heterolopha
- Vanilla hostmannii
- Vanilla humblotii
- Vanilla imperialis
- Vanilla inodora
- Vanilla insignis
- Vanilla kaniensis
- Vanilla kempteriana
- Vanilla kinabaluensis
- Vanilla madagascariensis
- Vanilla Methonica
- Vanilla mexicana
- Vanilla montana
- Vanilla moonii
- Vanilla nigerica
- Vanilla ochyrae
- Vanilla odorata
- Vanilla organensis
- Vanilla ovalis
- Vanilla ovata
- Vanilla palembanica
- Vanilla palmarum
- Vanilla parvifolia
- Vanilla penicillata
- Vanilla perrieri
- Vanilla phaeantha
- Vanilla phalaenopsis
- Vanilla pittieri
- Vanilla planifolia ( Vanilla planifolia True or vanilla).
- Vanilla platyphylla
- Vanilla poitaei
- Vanilla polylepis
- Vanilla planifolia
- Vanilla ramificans
- Vanilla ramosa
- Vanilla ribeiroi
- Vanilla roscheri
- Vanilla ruiziana
- Vanilla sanjappae
- Vanilla savannarum
- Vanilla schwackeana
- Vanilla seranica
- Vanilla seretii
- Vanilla siamensis
- Vanilla Sumai
- Vanilla sprucei
- Vanilla sumatrana
- Vanilla tahitensis ( Tahitian vanilla )
- Vanilla trigonocarpa
- Vanilla utteridgei
- Vanilla vellozii
- Vanilla walkeriae
- Vanilla wariensis
- Vanilla wightii
- Vanilla yersiniana
- Vanilla zanzibarica