Vanda tessellata

(Roxburgh) W. J. Hooker ex G. Don, 1850

Section Vanda
Type species of the genus.

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Close-up of Vanda tessellata (grey form) showing the tessellated pattern and contrasting blue lip — Close-up of *Vanda tessellata* (grey form) showing the tessellated pattern and contrasting blue lip

Vanda tessellata is a species of particular importance in many respects. The flowers, with a strong, captivating and unforgettable fragrance, display colors often marked by striking contrasts and may bloom several times a year.

Historically, in horticulture as well as in botany, Vanda tessellata is a major species: it is the type species of the genus. Indeed, it is the first associated with the epithet Vanda, Robert Brown establishing the genus in 1820, later fully adopted and validated by David Don. It is also the first species of Vanda known to have flowered in Europe, as early as 1819.

William Roxburgh, director of the Calcutta Botanical Garden from 1793 to 1819, described the species under the name Epidendrum tessellatum in 1795. In the same year, William Jones used the term Vanda to designate Asian epiphytic orchids in the Asiatic Researches (1795, 4:302).

Roxburgh later sent plants to England to Sir Conrad Loddiges and Sir Joseph Banks. In autumn 1819, at Spring Grove, Joseph Banks was the first to flower a Vanda in Europe, according to Veitch & Sons (1891) and observations reported by D. Grove.

However, it was Robert Brown who, in 1820, established the genus Vanda as it is understood today, based on plants sent by Roxburgh.

Inflorescence of Vanda tessellata showing multiple pale brown tessellated flowers with a pink lip. Photo courtesy of & copyright: Steve Weaver, Fishers, Indiana, USA. — Inflorescence of *Vanda tessellata* with pale brown flowers and a pink-tinted lip. Photo courtesy of & copyright: Steve Weaver, Fishers, Indiana, USA.

Formerly treated as distinct species, Vanda tessellata and Vanda roxburghii are now generally considered synonymous.

However, Martin Motes, in The Natural Genus Vanda, proposes treating this entity as a complex divided into two subspecies: Vanda tessellata subsp. tessellata and Vanda tessellata subsp. tesselloides.

In this interpretation, Vanda tessellata corresponds to subsp. tessellata, while Vanda roxburghii is assimilated to subsp. tesselloides. This treatment is also followed by the Kew Plants of the World Online database.

Thus, the wide distribution of the species is not geographically uniform. Morphologically, subsp. tessellata produces larger plants and flowers, but generally fewer in number. The lateral lobes of the labellum are longer and narrower, with a more divergent apex. Leaves are also broader and not cleft, unlike those of subsp. tesselloides.

This significant variability, both morphological and chromatic, reflects a natural complex still undergoing evolutionary stabilization.

Vanda tessellata subsp. tessellata occurs in India and Sri Lanka. The most common form bears grey flowers with a blue lip, often sold in horticulture under the misleading name Vanda tessellata Blue. White, pink, deep purple to nearly black forms exist, with lips ranging from pink to blue or violet. Plants grow from sea level up to about 500 m.

Vanda tessellata subsp. tessellata flowers showing a pale concolor appearance with a weak underlying tessellated pattern. — *Vanda tessellata* subsp. *tessellata* – pale concolor flowers with a faint underlying tessellated pattern, typical of many cultivated forms.

Vanda tessellata subsp. tesselloides has a wider distribution: Assam, Bangladesh, south-central China, East Himalaya, West Himalaya, Myanmar, Nepal and Vietnam. Flower color is also highly variable, but most often greenish-yellow with grey-brown tessellations and a blue to violet lip, sometimes pink. In relation to its habitat, this subspecies is found at higher elevations, from sea level up to about 1000 m.

Vanda tessellata aff. tesselloides flower close-up showing violet labellum and less divergent apical lobes of the labellum (identification based on morphologic interpretation) — *Vanda tessellata* aff. *tesselloides* – close-up of a violet-lipped form showing less divergent apical lobes of the labellum. (identification based on morphologic interpretation)

Independently of these infraspecific variations, Vanda tessellata shares common features across both subspecies. As in all species of the section Vanda, it is recognized by its fleshy labellum. The finely pointed lateral lobes are among the most distinctive features of the species, helping to distinguish Vanda tessellata from closely related plants or hybrids often confused with it.

The alba and flava forms are relatively common in horticulture.

Vanda tessellata alba form inflorescence showing multiple pale flowers with reduced pigmentation, commonly seen in cultivated plants. — *Vanda tessellata* alba form – inflorescence with multiple pale flowers showing reduced pigmentation, widely encountered in cultivation.

The leaves are also used in traditional Indian medicine (Ayurveda).

A natural hybrid exists with Vanda coerulea: Vanda × amoena, unfortunately still rare in cultivation.

Vanda tessellata is considered easy to grow and, under optimal conditions, may flower throughout the year. It requires high light and, due to its wide ecological range, adapts well to different cultivation methods.

The wide range of colors, the size and long-lasting nature of the flowers, their texture, fragrance, and the arrangement of flowers along the inflorescence explain the prominent role Vanda tessellata plays in hybridization. The color and texture of the labellum in certain forms have been retained in many hybrids, some of which display very dark, nearly black tones. Alba forms have also been widely used.

It thus constitutes one of the historical pillars in the development of modern hybrid lines within the genus.

The name of the species is derived from the Latin “tessella”, meaning “small square tile”.

Vanda tessellata inflorescence with four pale brown flowers and a violet lip, showing tessellated pattern on the petals and sepals. — *Vanda tessellata* – inflorescence with four pale brown flowers and a violet lip, showing typical tessellated patterning.

Synonyms

Vanda roxburghii, Vanda tesselloides, Vanda unicolor, Aerides tessellata, Cymbidium allagnata, Cymbidium tessellatum, Cymbidium tesselloides, Epidendrum teselatum, Epidendrum tesseloides.

Distribution

The Vanda tessellata complex is distributed over a vast territory ranging from the Indian subcontinent (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, East Himalaya) to Vietnam, including Assam, Myanmar (Burma), south-central China and the West Himalaya.

Vernacular names

Rasna (Bengali), Vanda (वांदा), Nai, Perasara (Hindi), Bandanike, Badanika, Jkeevanthige (Kannada), Aasna (Marathi), Ilkum (Oriya), Atirasa, Bhujangakshi, Chhatraki, Dronagandhika (Sanskrit), Kantanakuli (Tamil), Chittiveduri, Kanapabandanika (Telugu), Banda (Urdu).

Flowers

5 to nearly 7 cm vertically in subsp. tessellata, which has larger flowers than subsp. tesselloides. Strongly fragrant.

Extremely variable in color: grey, pink, deep purple to nearly black, greenish-yellow, white, more or less tessellated with grey or brown.

Margins of petals and sepals undulate. Labellum fleshy, slightly concave and curved downward, violet, blue or pink. The base of the midlobe may show a weakly deltoid outline, although this feature remains variable. Lateral lobes lanceolate. Spur short and conical.

Side view of Vanda tessellata flower showing the pointed lateral lobe of the labellum, a key feature for species identification and differentiation. — *Vanda tessellata* – side view highlighting the pointed lateral lobe of the labellum, a key feature for species identification.

Inflorescence

Erect to sub-erect, 15 to 30 cm long, bearing 4 to 10 flowers. The arrangement of the flowers is superior to that of many other species.

Plant

Medium-sized plant, approximately 20 to 60 cm, larger in older specimens. Leaves fleshy, strongly recurved and conduplicate. The lower stem frequently produces adventitious roots along the basal section.

Leaf of Vanda tessellata showing strap-shaped, leathery foliage typical of the species. — Leaf of *Vanda tessellata*

Leaf cross-section of Vanda tessellata showing thick, fleshy structure adapted to high light conditions. — Leaf of *Vanda tessellata*

REFERENCES/BIBLIO