a revision of the mexican and central american species of vanilla ...

326 LANKESTERIANA
description it seems that the involved species was V.
odorata, which is well-known by the Chinantecan
Indians of the region, and grown on a small scale at the
present time.
At the beginning of the 19th century some vanillas
were used as vermicide in Mexico and Cuba, and that
is probably the origin of the Sessé and Mociño name.
In the same way, the name “lombricera” was applied to
some vanillas in Cuba (Boldó & Estévez, 1990).
Vanilla odorata produces aromatic fruits, similar to
those of V. planifolia, with a strong, pleasant fragrance;
they are very much appreciated in the regions where
the species is wild. In Chiapas they are occasionally
used to flavor rums; in this area the species is much
more common than V. planifolia, and actually it is
the only vanilla collected for its beans in the Selva
Lacandona, as in many other areas of Tropical America.
In northern Oaxaca the species is grown as a curiosity
in the plantations, intermingled with V. planifolia; the
growers mention different cultural requirements from
those given to V. planifolia, since it needs stronger
sunlight. Although the fragrance is appreciated, the
beans are difficult to manage, since they are attacked
by fungi and because they dehisce if treated the same
way as the fruits of V. planifolia; open fruits of vanilla
usually bring a lower price. Vanilla odorata is found in
dry to damp sites, usually in areas with higher rainfall
than those of V. planifolia, and seems to be tolerant
to a wide range of light conditions. Vanilla odorata is
undoubtedly a species to be considered in any breeding
program with commercial vanillas (see comments
under Vanilla tahitensis, in “Excluded species”).
otHEr rEcords: MEXICO: VERACRUZ: [cf., sterile]
“Vainilla”. Vine on “Jimba” shrubs and on trunks of trees.
Leaves leathery, glabrous. Common in some areas in dense
forest, absent in others, Fortuño, Coatzacoalcos River, alt.
30-60 m, February 1937, L. Williams 8919 F(897099)!
OAXACA: In sylvis umbrosis prope Lobani, Chinantla,
Oajaca, Liebmann 6142 W(11759)! Tuxtepec, Ejido
Chiltepec, “vainilla”, domina Lonchocarpus, M. Sousa
947 MEXU [sterile]! Dto. Tuxtepec, Usila, Arroyo Iguana,
vainillal de Silvano Bautista, ca. 250 m s.n.m., 24 abril
1992, M. Soto 6617 & M. Hernández *AMO(x3; illustration
voucher)! Dto. Tuxtepec, Mpio. San José Independencia,
Cerro Clarín, en el extremo SW de la Presa Temascal, ca.
120 m s.n.m., 29 abril 1994, M. Soto 8829a & U. Sánchez
AMO! AMO(in spirit)! same data, abril 1994, U. Sánchez
s.n. y 6 AMO(in spirit)! Mpio.Valle Nacional, Arroyo de
LANKESTERIANA 9(3), January 2010. © Universidad de Costa Rica, 2010.
Banco, vainillal del Sr.Lázaro Pérez Justo, 250 m s.n.m.
con flores, muestreada para fragancia; menos atacada por
plagas y patógenos que V. planifolia, 23-IV-1997, M.Soto
8501 & M. Hernández *AMO(flowers, photos)! San Felipe
Usila, en cafetal, “vainilla tlatepusco”, 23, abril 1995, M.
Hernández s.n. AMO(flowers in spirit)! km 49.8 del camino
Sochiapa-San Juan Lalana, 1.2 km antes de San Juan Lalana,
210 m s.n.m. Cafetal derivado de selva alta perennifolia, en
el fondo de cañada rodeada de encinares calientes. Terrenos
de Galino Téllez, 18-III-1997, M. Soto 8115 & A. Cibrián
AMO(fruit)! Dto. Tuxtepec, Mpio. San José Independencia,
Cerro Clarín, en el extremo SW de la Presa Temascal, ca.
120 m s.n.m., 29 abril 1994, M. Soto 7631 & U. Sánchez
AMO! AMO(in spirit)! CHIAPAS: alrededores del sitio
arqueológico de Bonampak, vegetación secundaria derivada
de selva alta perennifolia, 350 m s.n.m., abril 1981, M. Soto
1001 AMO! Mpio. Ocosingo, km 5 del camino del Crucero
San Javier a Bonampak, vegetación secundaria derivada
de selva alta perennifolia, sobre suelos rojos arcillosos,
ca. 350 m s.n.m. 26 junio 1996 M. Soto 7959 & R. Solano
AMO(fruit)! Mpio. Ocosingo: Estación de Biología Chajul,
en el borde del Río Lacatúm; camino a Arroyo Miranda,
selva mediana subperennifolia inundable sobre terrenos
planos con Scheelea y Sabal, ca. 180 m s.n.m., muy escasa,
21 junio 1996, M. Soto 7950 y R. Solano AMO(sterile)!
BELIZE: Trail through light jungle, near Camp 2. Alt.
2000 ft. Wiss (vine) with glossy green succulent leaves and
stems. No flower or fruit seen. 20.8.1976. C. Whiteford 1316
MO(2584013)! GUATEMALA: IZABAL: [cf., sterile]
Twining vine; leaves deep green, succulent; fruit green,
thick and succulent, twisted, exuding clear thick liquid when
crushed; faint vanilla odor. Quebradas, 19-22 May 1919,
H. Pittier 8589A NY! US(1013492); ALTA VERAPAZ:
“Vainillita” Chirujija Oxec.; near the Finca Sepacuité, April
23, 1902, O.F. Cook & R.F. Griggs 735 *US(408445)!
PETEN: “Vainilla”. Fleshy vine, Tikal National Park, Tikal,
in botanal north of hotel, January 20, 1961 E. Contreras
1841 *LL(fruit)! La Libertad and vicinity, Aug.-Nov. 1933,
M. Aguilar H. 164 *AMES(40519; steril)! HONDURAS:
COLON: Capuchin site east, mangrove forest. 1.8 mi
strip on the north bank of rio Guaimoreto between old
bridge and opening of Laguna Guaimoreto 4.5 mi NE of
Trujillo on old road to Castilla. Lat. 15°57’30’’N; Long.
85°54’30’’W. 2 Feb 1981, J. Saunders 1008 *LL(sterile)!
*SEL(038496, fruit)! Lancetilla, 150 ft., Yuncker 4993
NY! NICARAGUA: SEGOVIA: E of Jalapa, elev. 1600
ft., May-June, A.H. Heller 6106 SEL(013289; 003851,
drawing, fragments)! “Segovia Prov.”, A.H. Heller s.n.
F(1598348)! without data, A.H. Heller s.n. SEL(003851)!
ZELAYA: [sterile]” Vainilla”, bejuco, sobre árboles,
Guamil de segunda clase. Area de Ocotal, Río Grande,
Guamil o breñas sobre áreas pantanosas, a lo largo del
Río Grande, Alt. 0-15 m, Abril 23, 1949, A. Molina 2312