Vellozia alutacea Pohl

Vellozia variabilis Martius ex Schultes f

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—Pereira 2857–Pabst 3493; Brade 13893; Lima 58–3003; Irwin et al. 9867; Irwin et al. 9915, 11709, 9809, 9726; Maguire 49262.

SURFACE VIEW.—Hairs: absent. Epidermis: cells square to rectangular on both surfaces, thin walled. Stomata: paracytic, 15 × 12 μm; present on abaxial surface.

TRANSVERSE SECTION OF LAMINA.—Dorsiventral; V-shaped with slight median adaxial groove. Adaxial surface slightly undulating; abaxial surface furrowed about one-third to one-half thickness of blade. Epidermis: adaxial cells dome shaped to rectangular; abaxial cells rounded to dome shaped; cells on both surfaces are thin walled. Subjacent to adaxial epidermis are two layers of parenchyma cells interspersed with sclerenchyma strands. Below parenchyma and sclerenchyma is a distinct layer of translucent parenchyma cells. Cuticle: thick and ridged on adaxial surface; thin and ridged on abaxial surface. Stomata: present in abaxial furrows; small substomatal chamber present, small hairs present in furrows. Mesophyll: distinctly three-layered palisade cells grading into compactly arranged spongy tissue. Two to three layers of large translucent cells arranged radially above vascular bundles and on furrows. Vascular bundles: 21–46; few commissural bundles observed. One to two large vessels present, mostly one. Two phloem units lying laterally in flanges of Y-shaped abaxial girder. Adaxial cap present on each vascular bundle. Bundle sheath completely surrounding each vascular bundle. A layer of abaxial sclerenchyma present between abaxial epidermis and a distinct layer of parenchyma. Crystals: none observed. Tannins: present.

Vellozia variabilis Martius ex Schultes f

Vellozia variabilis Martius ex Schultes f. in Roemer & Schultes, Syst., 7:293, 1826.—Seubert in Martius, Fl. Bras., 3(1):77, 1847.—L. B. Smith, Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb., 35:260, 1962.—Ayensu, Smithsonian Contr. Bot., 15:44, pls. 12a–b, 27a–f, 1974.

Vellozia variabilis var. tuberculata Seubert

Vellozia variabilis var. tuberculata Seubert in Martius, Fl. Bras., 3(1):77, 1847.—L. B. Smith, Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb., 35:260, 1962.

Capsules with a row of tubercules on each side as well as on the angles.

TYPE.—Without locality, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Martius s n (M, n v).

DISTRIBUTION.—Brazil: Minas Gerais: Caldas.