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Vanilla planifolia
Vanilla planifolia is a species of vanilla orchid native to Mexico, Central America, Colombia, and Brazil. It is one of the primary sources for vanilla flavouring, due to its high vanillin content. Common names include flat-leaved vanilla and West Indian vanilla (which is also used for the Pompona vanilla, V. pompona), though it is often simply referred to as vanilla. It was first scientifically named in 1808.
Vanilla planifolia played a large role in the early rural economy throughout Mexico and by the 20th century had become a widely cultivated crop across the world. With the species' population in decline and its habitats being converted to other purposes, the IUCN has assessed Vanilla planifolia as Endangered.
22 branches of this group, most-observed first

Flat-leaved Vanilla
speciesVanilla planifolia

Leafy Vanilla
speciesVanilla phaeantha

Vanilla insignis
speciesVanilla insignis

Vanilla odorata
speciesVanilla odorata

Vanilla × tahitensis
hybridVanilla × tahitensis

Vanilla marowynensis
speciesVanilla marowynensis

Vanilla karen-christianae
speciesVanilla karen-christianae

Vanilla planifolia × Vanilla tahitensis
hybridVanilla planifolia × Vanilla tahitensis

Vanilla inornata
speciesVanilla inornata

Vanilla labellopapillata
speciesVanilla labellopapillata

Vanilla helleri
speciesVanilla helleri

Vanilla cameroniana
speciesVanilla cameroniana

Vanilla paulista
speciesVanilla paulista
Vanilla capixaba
speciesVanilla capixaba

Vanilla appendiculata
speciesVanilla appendiculata
Vanilla fimbriata
speciesVanilla fimbriata
Vanilla rupicola
speciesVanilla rupicola
Vanilla javieri
speciesVanilla javieri
Vanilla schwackeana
speciesVanilla schwackeana
Vanilla ribeiroi
speciesVanilla ribeiroi
Vanilla dungsii
speciesVanilla dungsii
Vanilla dubia
speciesVanilla dubia
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Vanilla planifolia in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 1617486.