Vellozia squalida Mart.

Vellozia squalida Martius ex Schultes f

Vellozia squalida Martius ex Schultes f. in Roemer & Schultes, Syst., 7:292, 1826.—Seubert in Martius, Fl. Bras., 3(1):83, 1847.—L. B. Smith, Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb., 35:261, 1962.—Ayensu, Smithsonian Contr. Bot., 15:38, pl. 29a–c, 1974.

TYPE.—Without locality, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Martius s n (M, holotype; F, photo 18983).

DISTRIBUTION.—Santa Barbara and Conceição in the Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Vellozia squalida Martius ex Schultes f

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—W. A. Archer and M. Barreto 4937; Duarte 6401.

SURFACE VIEW.—Hairs: absent. Epidermis: cells rectangular and thin walled on both surfaces. Stomata: paracytic, 27 × 15 μm; present on the abaxial surface.

TRANSVERSE SECTION OF LAMINA.—Dorsiventral; V-shaped with small median adaxial groove; margins turned very slightly inversely. Adaxial surface slightly undulating; abaxial surface furrowed about one-half thickness of blade. Epidermis: adaxial cells rounded, thin walled. Abaxial cells dome shaped to conical, thin walled. Subjacent to adaxial epidermis are two to three layers sclerenchyma strands interspersed with two to three rows of parenchyma cells. Below is a distinct layer of parenchyma cells. Cuticle: thin and smooth on adaxial surface; ridged on abaxial surface. Stomata: present in abaxial furrows; small substomatal chamber present; furrows lined with epidermal projections. Mesophyll: three layers of palisade cells grading into compactly arranged spongy tissue. One to two layers of large translucent cells arranged radially above vascular bundles. Vascular bundles: 27; few commissural bundles observed. One to two large vessels, mostly one, present in each vascular bundle. 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. Abaxial sclerenchyma strands present at entrances to furrows. Crystals and tannins: none observed.