| Leptotes bicolor | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Epidendroideae |
| Tribe: | Epidendreae |
| Subtribe: | Laeliinae |
| Genus: | Leptotes |
| Species: | L. bicolor |
| Binomial name | |
| Leptotes bicolor Lindl. |
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| Synonyms | |
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Leptotes bicolor is a species of orchid native to Paraguay and southern Brazil.[1] It is the type species of the genus Leptotes. Its flowers and fruits are used as a substitute for vanilla in milk and ice cream. It grows in cooler climates than vanilla, as its distribution occupies more distant regions to the equator. It contains vanillin, the main compound of the extract of the vanilla.[2] It is grown as an ornamental plant.