Vellozia tragacantha (Mart. ex Schult. & Schult. fil.) Mart. ex Seub.

Vellozia tragacantha Martius ex Seubert

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—H. S. Irwin 2495; Claus-sen 13, 1794.

SURFACE VIEW.—Hairs: few present in small tufts. Epidermis: cells mostly square to rectangular on both surfaces, few rounded, thin walled. Stomata: paracytic, 15 × 9 μm; present on abaxial and adaxial surfaces.

TRANSVERSE SECTION OF LAMINA.—Dorsiventral; V-shaped with small median adaxial groove. Adaxial and abaxial surfaces only very slightly undulating. Epidermis: adaxial cells rounded to dome shaped, few conical; cells larger in median adaxial groove. Abaxial cells rounded to dome shaped. Cuticle: thin and slightly ridged on adaxial surface; thick and slightly ridged on abaxial surface. Stomata: present on abaxial and adaxial surfaces; substomatal chamber present; distinctly sunken. Mesophyll: four to five layers of palisade cells grading into compactly arranged spongy tissue. Two layers of large translucent tissue arranged radially above midvein and some vascular bundles. Vascular bundles: 8; no commissural bundles observed. One to two large vessels present in each vascular bundle. Two phloem units lying laterally in flanges of Y-shaped abaxial girder. Adaxial cap present on each vascular bundle, sometimes as large as abaxial girder. Bundle sheath completely surrounding each vascular bundle. Crystals and tannins: none observed.