Vanda tessellata

Vanda tessellata is a species of orchid occurring from the Indian subcontinent to Indochina. 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.

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 remedy for secondary syphilis and scorpion-sting. Juice of the leaves is given in otitis and the paste as febrifuge. The roots possess significant anti-inflammatory activity. A novel aphrodisiac compound ( 2,7,7-tri methyl bicyclo [2.2.1] heptane) has been found in the orchid in 2013.