308 THE ORCHID REVIEW. 
VANILLAS OF COMMERCE. 
AN interesting historical and descriptive account of the species of Vanilla 
yielding aromatic fruits, more or less used in commerce, appears in the 
August number of the Kew Bulletin, prepared, it is stated, by Mr. R. A. 
Rolfe, A.L.S., Assistant in the Kew Herbarium, who has also monographed 
the species of the genus, fifty in number, for the Linnean Society. 
It appears that at least five species are known to have aromatic fruits, 
and three of them are of economic importance, though the principal one is 
V. planifolia, Andr., which yields the well-known Vanilla of commerce. A 
second species, known as V. Pompona, Schiede, has thicker very fleshy 
fruits, which are more difficult to dry, and fetch a lower price on the 
market, though they have long been known as an article of commerce. 
The fresh fruits are also largely used in the same way as Vanilla. This 
species is diffused from Mexico to Columbia and Guiana, and is cultivated 
in the West Indies, being the source of West Indian Vanilloes. Brazilian 
Vanilla is produced by Vanilla Gardneri, Rolfe, a species here described for 
the first time, having previously been confused with V. planifolia. It is 
supposed that South American Vanilla is the fruit of this species. It has a 
rank odour, but it is said that as much as 9,000 lbs. of the ‘‘ bean’ were 
produced in 1891, its probable use being as an adulterant. V. odorata, 
Presl, and a new species called V. appendiculata, Rolfe, also have aromatic 
fruits, but are not known in commerce. An indigenous species, called V. 
pheantha, Rchb. f., has been cultivated in the West Indies as a Vanilla 
plant, but the fruit is shorter and has little perfume. From Humboldt’s 
records it would appear that a Peruvian species also has aromatic fruits, 
but nothing further is yet known about it. 
The history of the Vanilla of commerce is very interesting. According 
to historical accounts it was used by the Aztecs of Mexico as an ingredient 
of chocolate prior to the discovery of America by the Spaniards, who 
adopted its use, and Morren states that it was brought to Europe as a 
perfume about the year 1510, at the same time as indigo, cochineal, and 
cacao, and ten years before the arrival of tobacco. Clusius put the first 
botanical notice on record in 1605. Three years before he had received 
fruits from one Morgan, apothecary to Queen Elizabeth, and described 
them under the name of ‘“ Lobus oblongus aromaticus,’ without being 
aware of their origin or use. Nearly half-a-century afterwards Hernandez 
gave a figure of a fruiting branch under the name of Araco aromatico. The 
original drawing is said to have been one ofa series of 1,200, executed at great 
cost in Mexico, during the previous century, by order of the King of Spain. 
Its use as a drug only is mentioned, and the native name is given as 
** Tlilxochitl.”” The Spaniards apparently experienced some difficulty with 
this name, for in 1658 Piso stated that the fragrant siliqua or pod of the 
