Vanilla esquipulensis Archila & Chiron 2012 SUBGENUS Xanata SECTION XanataPhoto by © Fredy Archila

LATE EARLY

Common Name The Esquipulas Vanilla

Flower Size 4.8" [12 cm]

Found in Chiquimula department of Guatemala at elevations around 600 to 900 meters as a giant sized, warm growing epiphyte with very succulent, large stems with many internodes with one of the faces of the stem presenting a slit that almost disappears in winter, when the stems fill up and the size increases, new branches have a unique vigor, when they start to grow, they are wider and Fleshy all carrying fleshy, lanceolate, acuminate apically, margins inflected and tapering, shortly petioalte base leaves that blooms in the late winter and early spring on a 10 to 15 flowered inflorescence carrying pendent flowers.

Similar to V calyculata but the new species has a 1" [2.5 cm] thick stem, carrying leaves with an acuminate apex, and has pendent flowers that are somewhat scented with a pubescent gymnostem and a different, 2.4 to 4" [6 to 10 cm] long, aromatic seed pod.

Synonyms

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; * Richardiana 13 6 Archila & Chiron 2012 Addition à la flore du Guatemala : Vanilla esquipulensis (Orchidaceae), espèce des forêts xérophytes; Drawing/photo fide; Orchid Genera and Species in Guatemala Archila, Szlachchetko, Chiron, Lipinska, Mystkowska and Bertolini 2018

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