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Vanilla wightiana
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Family:
ORCHIDACEAE
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Citation: Vanilla wightiana Lindl. ex Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 90. 1890; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1451(1015). 1928; Abraham & Vatsala, Introd. Orchids 502. 1981; Mohanan, Fl. Quilon Dist. 402. 1984; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 471. 1994; Subram., Fl. Thenmala Div. 363. 1995; Mohanan & Sivad., Fl. Agasthyamala 700. 2002; Sathish & Manilal, Orchid Memories 230. 2004.
Vanilla aphylla sensu Wight, Ic. t. 931. 1845 non Blume 1825; Sasidh. & Sivar., Fl. Pl. Thrissur For. 456. 1996; Sasidh., Fl. Shenduruny WLS 332. 1997; Sathish. et al., Amer. Orch. Soc. Bull. 395. 1993; Muktesh, Epiphytic Fl. Western Ghats 127. 1998; Sasidh., Fl. Periyar Tiger Reserve 442. 1998.
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Malayalam Name(s):
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Tamil name(s):
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English name(s):
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Description:
Leafless climbing epiphytes, rooting from nodes. Scaly bracts 0.5-1 cm long, lanceolate, deciduous. Stem green, 0.5-0.7 cm diam., internodes 10-15 cm long. Inflorescence axillary short racemes. Peduncle 1.5-2 cm long; floral bracts 0.2-0.3 cm diam., orbicular. Flowers 3 cm across, creamy. Sepals and petals 2.5-3 cm long, 1 cm wide. Lip 2-2.5 cm long, clawed at base embracing the column in a tube, dialated to a 3-lobed limb; side lobes small; mid-lobe densely covered with tile-shaped scales. Pedicel with ovary 2.5-3cm long.
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Habit:
Climber
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Flowering & Fruiting:
January-March
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District(s):
Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur
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Medicinal:
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Habitat:
Moist deciduous and semi-evergreen forests, also in sacred groves
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Distribution:
Southern Western Ghats and Sri Lanka
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Aquatic:
No
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Epiphyte(s):
Yes
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
White
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Monocotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
No
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
Vulnerable (VU)
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Altitude:
600-800
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Localities:
Kottur R.F., Thenmalai, Bonaccord, Attayar
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