Diversity, natural history, and conservation of vanilla (orchidaceae) in amazonian wetlands of madre de dios, Peru

Investigations of the diversity and natural history of Vanilla are scarce, especially in the Amazon region. Considering that the cured, fragrant fruits of several species are traded in international markets and are an important cash crop for thousands of small-scale farmers in tropical regions, there is a surprising lack of published information concerning Vanilla m the botanical literature. This paper presents the results of a study of six Vanilla species that occur primarily in wetland ecosystems of Madre de Dios, Peru, in the southern Peruvian Amazon. While extremely rare outside wetlands, the genus is one of the most conspicuous elements of wetland vegetation due to its high visibility and abundance, yet it is virtually unknown even to local residents. Here we describe eachspecies in detail with notes and observations from field studies of their natural history. We also offer akey for their identification. We conclude with a discussion of conservation implications and recommendations for continued investigation of Vanilla orchids and their Amazonian wetland habitats.kwd Vanilla, Orchidaceae, Peru, Amazon, wetlands, diversity, natural history.