A new species of Vanilla (Orchidaceae) from the North West Amazon in Colombia

Abstract

A distinctive species, Vanilla denshikoira, is described from the North West Amazon, in Colombia, within the Guiana Shield region. The species has morphological features similar to those of species in the Vanilla planifolia group. It is an important addition to the vanilla crop wild relatives, bringing the total number of species in the V. planifolia group to 21. Vanilla denshikoira is a narrow endemic, known from only a single locality, and highly vulnerable to anthropological disturbance. Under IUCN criteria it is categorized CR. The species has potential value as a non-timber forest product. We recommend a conservation program that includes support for circa situm actions implemented by the local communities.

Two new records in Orchidaceae (Vanillinae) from southernmost Colombian Amazonia: Vanilla javieri, a new species, and Vanilla appendiculata

“…Additionally, the shape and size of the perianth segments in dissected flowers is very similar to V. appendiculata. Furthermore, V. javieri exhibits a column with a glabrous ventral surface, a trait found exclusively in V. appendiculata, V. capixaba and V. labelopapillata, within the V. planifolia group (Flanagan et al 2018). The combination of exclusively shared characteristics within the group suggests that its closest relatives are V. appendiculata and V. cristagalli.…”

“…Vanilla denshikoira is closely related to V. cristagalli; however, it differs from V. javieri in the numerous elongated trichomes that adorn the lip apex (Flanagan et al 2018). Vanilla dubia is closely related to V. appendiculata and V. cristagalli, but it is easily distinguished by exhibiting oblanceolate leaves, an emarginated midlobe of the lip and thicker and shorter fruits when compared to the new species (RB 37014, Fraga et al 2017).…”

“…Likewise, the reduced numbers of botanical collections that exist for the genus Vanilla make their study more challenging. Correspondingly, the total number of native Vanilla species in Colombia is unknown and ranges between 11 and 23 species based on the existing literature, herbarium records, and fieldwork observations (Soto Arenas & Cribb 2010, Bernal et al 2015, MADS-UNAL 2015, Flanagan & Mosquera-Espinosa 2016, Flanagan et al 2018. Particularly in the context of Amazonia, nine species of Vanilla have been reported for Colombia (Bernal et al 2015, Flanagan et al 2018, sixteen species for Brazil (Barros et al 2015) and five species for Peru (Householder et al 2010).…”

“…In this sense, Soto-Arenas & Cribb (2010) considered V. cristato-callosa Hoehne (1944: 126) to be conspecific with V. cristagalli, and will be treated as such in this paper. The most recent addition to this group is V. denshikoira from Eastern Colombia (Flanagan et al 2018).…”

Vanilla bahiana Hoehne (Orchidaceae): studies on fruit development and new perspectives into crop improvement for the Vanilla planifolia group

“…Vanilla comprises about 120 species, with its highest species richness being in Brazil (37 species, 21 of which are restricted to the country) (Pansarin 2010, Ferreira et al 2017, Flanagan et al 2019, Flora do Brasil 2020. The informal V. planifolia group encompasses 25 taxa, and includes several American species (Soto Arenas & Cribb 2010, Barona-Colmenares 2018, Karremans & Lehamm 2018, Flanagan et al 2018. Vanilla bahiana is phylogenetically closely related to Vanilla planifolia and is restricted to Brazil, where it occurs from Maranhão State to São Paulo State.…”