In the first three lines, are given results for V. planifolia according to the study of Bory et al. (2008a).
a According to Portères (1954).
b From the study of Bory et al. (2008a).
Conclusions
There is, therefore, growing evidence that demonstrate the complexity of the processes involved in the evolution and diversification of
Vanilla. As for many species for which vegetative reproduction is predominant, we observed phenotypic diversity at the intraspecific level in V. planifolia, which was not congruent with the observed low genetic diversity of this clonal crop. We demonstrated that this discrepancy was in part due to the occurrence of rare sexual reproduction events, as well as to the occurrence of polyploidization in this species. Given that these variations have happened in Reunion Island in less than 200 years; there is little doubt that such intraspecific variations exist in other species of the genus found in the wild, and might be responsible for the difficulty to correctly identify species solely based on morphological observations. This is exacerbated by the occurrence of interspecific hybridizations in the genus, which makes clear taxonomic designation is even more delicate.