Vanilla griffithii (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Vanilla griffithii Reichb.f.

Family: Orchidaceae

Vernacular names

• Peninsular Malaysia: akar penubal, telinah kerbau bukit, telinga kerbau.

Distribution

Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore.

Uses

The fruit is sweet and edible. Pounded flowers are rubbed on the body against fever. Latex is used to make hair healthy.

Observations

• Fleshy climber, stem about 7 m long, containing irritating latex.
• Fruit a banana-like capsule, ca. 6 cm × 1 cm, fleshy.

Common in forests.

Selected sources

• Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. 2nd ed. 2 Volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2444 pp.

• Ridley, H.N., 1922-1925. The Flora of the Malay Peninsula. 5 Volumes. Government of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States. L. Reeve & Co., London.

Authors

P.C.M. Jansen, J. Jukema, L.P.A. Oyen, T.G. van Lingen