Vanilla Planifolia

“Vanilla is a genus of epiphytal Orchideæ, natives of tropical America and Asia. They are distinguished from most other orchids by their climbing habit; they cling with their aerial roots to the stems of trees or to rocks, attain the height of 20 or 30 feet, and obtain their chief sustenance from the atmosphere. There are about 20 species comprised in the genus. The flowers are thick, fleshy, and fragrant, but dull in color. Vanilla is remarkable among orchids as possessing the only species of the order that has any economical value. From the fruit of several species the vanilla of commerce is obtained, the best being produced by the West Indian species, which is now cultivated in many tropical countries. A, a seed pod"—(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

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