''Vanda tessellata'' (also known as Grey orchid or Checkered Vanda) is a species of

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowerin ...

occurring from the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...

Indochina Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...

. It is a medicinal plant.

Description

It is an epiphytic perennial, stem 30–60 cm long, stout, scandent by the stout, simple or branching aerial roots. Leaves succulent, 15–20 cm, long, linear, recurved, complicate. Flowers in 6-10 flowered racemes, reaching with the peduncle 15–25 cm long. Sepals yellow, tessellated with brown lines and with white margins. Petals yellow with brown lines and white margins, shorter than the sepals. Lip 16 mm long, bluish, dotted with purple. Capsules 7.5–9 cm long, narrowly clavate-oblong with acute ribs. File:Vanda tessellata (as Vanda roxburghii) - Bot. Reg. 6 pl.506 (1820).jpg, ''Vanda tessellata'' (as syn. ''Vanda roxburghii'') plate 506 in: The Botanical Register (Orchidaceae), vol. 6, (1820) File:Vanda tessellata (as Vanda roxburghii) - Curtis' 48 pl. 2245 (1821).jpg, ''Vanda tessellata'' (as syn. ''Vanda roxburghii'') plate 2245 in: Curtis's Bot. Magazine (Orchidaceae), vol. 48, (1821) File:R. Warner & B.S. Williams - The Orchid Album - volume 02 - plate 059 (1883).jpg, ''Vanda tessellata'' (as syn. ''Vanda roxburghii'') Plate 59 in: R.Warner - B.S.Williams: The Orchid Album (1882-1897)

Medicinal uses

The roots are alexiteric and antipyretic; useful in dyspepsia, bronchitis, inflammations, piles and hiccup. Externally the root is used in rheumatism and allied disorders and diseases of the nervous system. It is also employed as a remedy for secondary syphilis and scorpion stings. The juice of the leaves is used topically in otitis and a paste of them finds use as a febrifuge. The roots possess significant anti-inflammatory activity.Ghani, 2003 and exhibit potent analgesic effects combined with a relatively low toxicity A novel aphrodisiac compound ( 2,7,7-tri methyl bicyclo .2.1heptane) has been found in the orchid in 2013.

Chemical composition

The plant produces an alkaloid, a glucoside,

tannins Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The term ''tannin'' (from Anglo-Norman ''tanner'', f ...

β-sitosterol β-sitosterol (beta-sitosterol) is one of several phytosterols (plant sterols) with chemical structures similar to that of cholesterol. It is a white, waxy powder with a characteristic odor, and is one of the components of the food additive E499 ...

, γ-sitosterol and a long chain aliphatic compound, fatty oils,

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on n ...

s and colouring matters. Roots contain tetracosyl ferrulate and β-sitosterol-D- glucoside.

Traditional practices

In the Yunani system, the root is used as a tonic for the liver and brain; effective against bronchitis, piles, lumbago, toothache, and boils of the scalp; it also is said to lessen inflammation and heal fractures. The root is said to be fragrant, bitter and useful in rheumatism and allied disorders, in which it is prescribed in a variety of forms. It is also used in the composition of several medicated oils for external application in rheumatism and diseases of the nervous system. In Chota

Nagpur Nagpur (pronunciation: aːɡpuːɾ is the third largest city and the winter capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nagpur is projected to ...

, the leaves are pounded into a paste and then applied to the body during fever. A compound decoction of this root is administered in cases of Hemiplegia as some Indian physicians consider it useful in rheumatism and all nervous diseases. The leaves are pounded and the paste is applied to the body to bring down fever; the juice is dropped in the ear for the treatment of

Otitis media Otitis media is a group of inflammatory diseases of the middle ear. One of the two main types is acute otitis media (AOM), an infection of rapid onset that usually presents with ear pain. In young children this may result in pulling at the ear, ...

and other inflammatory conditions. The roots are used in

Dyspepsia Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia or upset stomach, is a condition of impaired digestion. Symptoms may include upper abdominal fullness, heartburn, nausea, belching, or upper abdominal pain. People may also experience feeling full earlier ...

Bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...

, Rheumatism, and also in fever; they are reported to possess antibacterial and anti-tubercular properties. The herb is also used for

Sciatica Sciatica is pain going down the leg from the lower back. This pain may go down the back, outside, or front of the leg. Onset is often sudden following activities like heavy lifting, though gradual onset may also occur. The pain is often described ...

. The leaves are used by the Santhal girls for making anklets.

Use as an entheogen in India

'Ayurvedic shamans' in India are said to have used the plant to induce 'the hypnotic narcosis of their office' leading to 'a transcendent state of being', having learnt originally of the intoxicating properties of this orchid by observing bees which had fed upon its nectar falling to the ground in a state of stupefaction. Evidence for the practice is sparse, but, given the presence of alkaloids in ''V.tessellata'' and its well-documented employment in diseases of the nervous system, such use is intrinsically plausible. In similar vein, Tantric magicians are said to have ingested the fleshy roots of this species as an aid to divination, along with the tubers of another orchid, '' Dendrobium macraei'' (synonyms Ephemerantha macraei and Flickingeria macraei, but see page Flickingeria re. unaccepted genus name still used in the horticulture trade).''The Dictionary of Sacred and Magical Plants'' by Rätsch, Dr.Christian, pub. Prism Press, Bridport UK 1992.

Gallery

File:Vanda tessellata in Bangladesh.jpg, ''Vanda tessellata'' in

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

File:New buds of Vanda tessellata.jpg, New buds of ''Vanda tessellata'' File:Flowers of Vanda tessellata.jpg, Flowers of ''Vanda tessellata'' File:Flowers of Vanda tessellata 2.jpg, Flowers in full bloom File:Buds of Vanda tessellata.jpg, Buds of ''Vanda tessellata'' File:Buds of Vanda tessellata 2.jpg, Young buds of ''Vanda tessellata'' File:Matured fruit of Vanda tessellata.jpg, Matured fruit of ''Vanda tessellata'' File:Seeds of Vanda tessellata.jpg, Seeds of ''Vanda tessellata'' File:Seeds of Vanda tessellata 2.jpg, Seeds of ''Vanda tessellata'' File:Fruit of Vanda tessellata.jpg, Fruit of ''Vanda tessellata'' File:Transformation of Vanda tessellata flowers.jpg, Transformation of ''Vanda tessellata'' flowers from buds File:Vanda tessellata plant 2.jpg, ''Vanda tessellata'' plant in a bamboo pot File:Vanda tessellata plant.jpg, ''Vanda tessellata'' plant File:Vanda tessellata reproduction.jpg,

Vegetative reproduction Vegetative reproduction (also known as vegetative propagation, vegetative multiplication or cloning) is any form of asexual reproduction occurring in plants in which a new plant grows from a fragment or cutting of the parent plant or spec ...

of ''Vanda tessellata''

References

tessellata Epiphytic orchids {{Vandeae-stub