Confirmation of the presence of Vanilla calyculata Schltr. (Orchidaceae) in Mexico: extension to northernmost distribution

Background: Nine Vanilla species have been reported in Mexico. Vanilla calyculata has been formally documented in Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Its presence in Mexico has been suggested based on a single sterile specimen but its identity has not been confirmed,...

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Main Authors: Miguel Ángel Lozano-Rodríguez, Andres Navia-Samboni, Rafael Grajeda-Estrada, Ana Teresa Nuño-Rubio, Nicola S. Flanagan, Jessica Pérez-Alquicira, Rebeca Alicia Menchaca-García
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedad Botánica de México, A. C. 2025-07-01
Series:Botan‪ical Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/3713
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author Miguel Ángel Lozano-Rodríguez
Andres Navia-Samboni
Rafael Grajeda-Estrada
Ana Teresa Nuño-Rubio
Nicola S. Flanagan
Jessica Pérez-Alquicira
Rebeca Alicia Menchaca-García
author_facet Miguel Ángel Lozano-Rodríguez
Andres Navia-Samboni
Rafael Grajeda-Estrada
Ana Teresa Nuño-Rubio
Nicola S. Flanagan
Jessica Pérez-Alquicira
Rebeca Alicia Menchaca-García
author_sort Miguel Ángel Lozano-Rodríguez
collection DOAJ
description Background: Nine Vanilla species have been reported in Mexico. Vanilla calyculata has been formally documented in Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Its presence in Mexico has been suggested based on a single sterile specimen but its identity has not been confirmed, and no further records are known. Questions: Do the live individuals of Vanilla sp. found in Western Mexico correspond to Vanilla calyculata? Studied species: Vanilla calyculata. Study site and dates: Western Mexico, 2019-2025. Methods: Specimens of Vanilla sp. were collected and determined taxonomically using specialized literature. Mexican herbaria were widely consulted. The conservation status was assessed using the IUCN Red List criteria. Results: We confirmed the presence of Vanilla calyculata in Mexico based on wild specimens and herbarium records. This species is now known from three localities in Western Mexico, which increases its distribution up to 1,800 km northwards. The number of species of the Vanilla genus reported for Mexico increases to 10 and to three for the west of the country. The conservation status of V. calyculata in Mexico is C2a(i), “Critically Endangered - CR”, based on the IUCN criteria. Conclusions: This work contributes to the knowledge on the geographic distribution of the genus Vanilla in the Neotropical region, Mexican orchid diversity, and emphasizes the need for immediate actions to ensure the conservation of this important component of agrobiodiversity in Mexico. 
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spelling doaj-art-75ce8dcd1b7d4c56b192732ceebde3b22025-08-20T03:20:40ZengSociedad Botánica de México, A. C.Botan‪ical Sciences2007-42982007-44762025-07-01103410.17129/botsci.3713Confirmation of the presence of Vanilla calyculata Schltr. (Orchidaceae) in Mexico: extension to northernmost distributionMiguel Ángel Lozano-Rodríguez0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0666-1822Andres Navia-Samboni1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3317-4117Rafael Grajeda-Estrada2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3226-3169Ana Teresa Nuño-Rubio3https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8718-6225 Nicola S. Flanagan4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4909-8710Jessica Pérez-Alquicira5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4538-3896Rebeca Alicia Menchaca-García6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4241-8304Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales, Universidad Veracruzana, VeracruzDepartamento de Botánica y Zoología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, JaliscoDepartamento de Botánica y Zoología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, JaliscoMareterra Consultores, Zapopan, JaliscoOrchid Specialist Group, International Unión for the Conservation of Nature. Y Grupo de Biodiversidad y Bioeconomia, Villavicencio, MetaDepartamento de Botánica y Zoología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, JaliscoCentro de Investigaciones Tropicales, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz Background: Nine Vanilla species have been reported in Mexico. Vanilla calyculata has been formally documented in Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Its presence in Mexico has been suggested based on a single sterile specimen but its identity has not been confirmed, and no further records are known. Questions: Do the live individuals of Vanilla sp. found in Western Mexico correspond to Vanilla calyculata? Studied species: Vanilla calyculata. Study site and dates: Western Mexico, 2019-2025. Methods: Specimens of Vanilla sp. were collected and determined taxonomically using specialized literature. Mexican herbaria were widely consulted. The conservation status was assessed using the IUCN Red List criteria. Results: We confirmed the presence of Vanilla calyculata in Mexico based on wild specimens and herbarium records. This species is now known from three localities in Western Mexico, which increases its distribution up to 1,800 km northwards. The number of species of the Vanilla genus reported for Mexico increases to 10 and to three for the west of the country. The conservation status of V. calyculata in Mexico is C2a(i), “Critically Endangered - CR”, based on the IUCN criteria. Conclusions: This work contributes to the knowledge on the geographic distribution of the genus Vanilla in the Neotropical region, Mexican orchid diversity, and emphasizes the need for immediate actions to ensure the conservation of this important component of agrobiodiversity in Mexico.  https://www.botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/3713Crop wild relativesIUCN Red ListNeotropical regionSection XanataTropical dry forest
spellingShingle Miguel Ángel Lozano-Rodríguez
Andres Navia-Samboni
Rafael Grajeda-Estrada
Ana Teresa Nuño-Rubio
Nicola S. Flanagan
Jessica Pérez-Alquicira
Rebeca Alicia Menchaca-García
Confirmation of the presence of Vanilla calyculata Schltr. (Orchidaceae) in Mexico: extension to northernmost distribution
Botan‪ical Sciences
Crop wild relatives
IUCN Red List
Neotropical region
Section Xanata
Tropical dry forest
title Confirmation of the presence of Vanilla calyculata Schltr. (Orchidaceae) in Mexico: extension to northernmost distribution
title_full Confirmation of the presence of Vanilla calyculata Schltr. (Orchidaceae) in Mexico: extension to northernmost distribution
title_fullStr Confirmation of the presence of Vanilla calyculata Schltr. (Orchidaceae) in Mexico: extension to northernmost distribution
title_full_unstemmed Confirmation of the presence of Vanilla calyculata Schltr. (Orchidaceae) in Mexico: extension to northernmost distribution
title_short Confirmation of the presence of Vanilla calyculata Schltr. (Orchidaceae) in Mexico: extension to northernmost distribution
title_sort confirmation of the presence of vanilla calyculata schltr orchidaceae in mexico extension to northernmost distribution
topic Crop wild relatives
IUCN Red List
Neotropical region
Section Xanata
Tropical dry forest
url https://www.botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/3713
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