Tahitian Vanilla Is An Interspecific Hybrid

It looks similar the origins of Tahitian vanilla (Vanilla tahitiensis), long a mystery, accept been resolved:

Tahitian Vanilla Originated inwards Maya Forests, Says Botanists (Science Daily)

It's non terribly shocking that the source is Central America, given that the historical tape supported the regard of going from Republic of Guatemala to Taihiti, via the Philippines. What was suprising, to me anyway, was the fact that it turns out to live an interspecific hybrid (maybe this wasn't a shocker to vanilla botanists, but my vanilla noesis is form of limited) betwixt V. planifolia, the species currently cultivated for almost vanilla production, in addition to V. odorata, a species non know to accept always been cultivated. Taihitian vanilla is distinct inwards that it possesses the chemical compound heliotropin, which no uncertainty came from the odorata parent, in addition to gives the beans their unusually floral aroma.

The even out reminds me a footling of that of the cultivated strawberry, the interspecific hybrid coming into prominence far from its ancestors native lands, but of course of written report inwards this illustration the hybridization probable occurred long earlier they went to Taihiti, likely inwards some Mayan garden. If in addition to when the information gets published, it would live interesting to meet how distant a hybrid the genetic prove suggests this is. Given that vanilla is commonly propagated vegetatively (vanilla is an orchid, in addition to orchids are known for existence a hurting to germinate, requiring the presence of specific mycorrhizal fungi), the Taihitian vanilla nosotros grow today could conceivably live the master genotype resulting from the initial hybridization. I'd live interested to know if the odorata and planifolia chromosomes play overnice in addition to twosome amongst each other, or if this is truly an alloploid of some kind...

(I suppose i could brand a illustration that vanilla isn't a fruit, but I'm known for existence a footling flexible amongst my defnition or hence here, in addition to it is technically the fruit that is consumed. Basically my Definition is: if y'all eat it, in addition to it's non an agronomic crop, in addition to it's non a vegetable, in addition to hence it's a fruit (and I've been known to live a tad flexible on the vegetable thing, too). Mostly I only regard it was a cool article.)

Update: I establish the actual article, which appears to live freely available here. So at that spot are a few answers to my questions above:
F1 hybrid?: Almost, but likely non quite
Polyploid?: Some aye (4x), some no (2x)
Single genotype: Nope.

They looked at both a nuclear portion in addition to a chloroplast portion (which allows them to conclude that V. planifolia is the maternal raise inwards all cases).
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