Vellozia fibrosa Goethart & Henrard

Vellozia fibrosa Goethart & Henrard

Vellozia fibrosa Goethart & Henrard, Blumea, 2:370, 1937.—L. B. Smith, Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb., 35:260, 1962.—Ayensu, Smithsonian Contr. Bot., 15:23, pls. 17b, 26d–f, 1974.

TYPE.—Biribiri near Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 30 March 1892, Glaziou 19936 (L, holotype; B, photo; P, isotype).

DISTRIBUTION.—Brazil: Minas Gerais: Belo Horizonte(?), Diamantina.

Vellozia fibrosa Goethart & Henrard

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—Azevedo 5592.

SURFACE VIEW.—Hairs: few papillae present. Epidermis: cells square to rectangular, thin walled. Stomata: tetracytic, 12 × 12 μm; present on abaxial surface.

TRANSVERSE SECTION OF LAMINA.—Dorsiventral; V-shaped with small median adaxial groove; margins turned inversely, flanged. Adaxial surface very slightly undulating; abaxial surface furrowed one-half thickness of blade. Epidermis: cells more or less square, rounded or rectangular; walls slightly thick, especially on inner tangential wall. Subjacent to adaxial epidermis is one to two layers of thick-walltd parenchyma cells interspersed with sclerenchyma strands; below parenchyma and sclerenchyma is a layer of translucent parenchyma cells. Cuticle: adaxial surface thicker than abaxial; both slightly ridged. Stomata: present in furrows and on abaxial surface. Substomatal chamber virtually absent. Mesophyll: one to three layers of distinct palisade tissue changing into compact spongy tissue; one to three layers of large translucent palisade cells arranged radially above vascular bundles and furrows. Vascular bundles: 16; commissural bundles not observed. Veins with one to two large vessels, mostly one. Two phloem units lying laterally in flanges of U-shaped partial abaxial girder. Each vascular bundle accompanied by an adaxial cap. Vascular bundle completely surrounded by bundle sheath. Abaxial strands present at open ends of furrows. Crystals: not observed. Tannins: few present.

NOTE: The presence of partial abaxial girders recalls the Xerophyta type of sclerenchyma encountered in Madagascar species of this family.