Vanilla pilifera

Vanilla borneensis is a plant of the genus Vanilla ( Vanilla ) in the orchid family ( Orchidaceae). It grows as a climbing plant on Borneo.

Description

Vanilla borneensis is an evergreen climber. The leaves are at intervals of six to ten inches on the shoot, they are elongate oval and end in front pulled out a point. The petiole is 0.5 to 1.5 inches long, the entire sheet measures ten to 15 centimeters in length and 2.5 to 5.5 inches in width.

The racemose inflorescence is 2.5 to 5 centimeters quite short and carries nine to twelve flowers. The inflorescence axis is zigzag. The bracts are oval to slightly triangular, pointed and ending to 1 inches long. The ovary is short-stalked, along with the flower stalk, it measures 3.5 inches. The sepals are silvery - green and measure about 3.4 x 1.1 inches. The petals are cream-colored, with 1.6 inches wider, distinctly keeled on the outside. The three -inch-long lip is also outside light and keeled, it includes the column tubular and with her ​​a bit more overgrown. The lip is three-lobed with five longitudinal keels, the middle lobe ends blunt cut, the edge is wavy, provided the leaf blade with red markings and a pencil sharpener, rear-facing hairs. The column is 1.8 inches long, white, at the top with two orange appendages, the end is completely surrounded by the lip. The capsule fruit is narrowly linear and is 7.5 to eight inches long.

Dissemination

Vanilla borneensis comes in Southeast Asia from northeast India ( Assam ) through Thailand and Malaysia before to after Borneo. The collection of the type specimen was close in riverside forests in Borneo.

Systematics and botanical history

This orchid was described in 1896 by Robert Allen Rolfe. A synonym is Vanilla pilifera. The description was based on a non-flowering specimen, additional finds from the vicinity are not known, so that a comparison of recent collections with the type specimen is difficult.

Within the genus Vanilla Vanilla borneensis, is classified in the subgenus Xanata and there in the section Thethya that contains all kinds of Paläotropis. According Portères Vanilla resembles the borneensis also occurring on Borneo Vanilla abundiflora, but which is not closely related to Soto Arenas and Cribb. Most closely related therefore is Vanilla diabolica from Sulawesi. In addition, show the leafless species Vanilla aphylla, Vanilla and Vanilla Calopogon wightii similarities with Vanilla borneensis.