Vellozia arenicola L. B. Sm.

Vellozia arenicola L. B. Smith

Vellozia arenicola L. B. Smith, Phytologia, 8:512, figs. 14, 15, 1963.

TYPE.—In sand, Tijuco (Diamantina), Minas Gerais, Brazil, December 1824, Riedel s n (K, holotype).

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from the type-collection.

92. Vellozia stipitata L. B. Smith & Ayensu, new species

A V. echinata Goethart & Henrard, cui affinis, foliorum laminis latioribus haud vel vix revolutis recurvatis, ovarii glandulis atris differt.

Caudex undoubtedly tall and stout, branched (!Semir & Menezes). Leaves glabrous; sheaths 6 cm long, whitish; blades very narrowly triangular, long-attenuate, 30 cm long, 17 mm wide, flat or nearly so, serrulate with slender suberect spines.

Scapes terminal, 4, 15 cm long (above the leaf-sheaths), 1.5 mm in diameter, subdensely stipitate-glandular. Ovary ellipsoid, 14 mm long, covered with fine pale stipitate glands. Tepals elliptic, with the inner distinctly broader, 5 cm long, purple (!Semir & Menezes). Stamens ca. 20; phalanges irregular, lacerate-appendaged.

LEAF ANATOMY (Irwin 28419; Menezes 230; Semir & Menezes 284).—Surface View: Hairs: few tufts present on adaxial surface. Epidermis: cells on both surfaces square to rectangular; thin-walled. Stomata: paracytic, 24 × 18 μm; present in abaxial furrows only.

Transverse Section of Lamina: Dorsiventral; widely V-shaped with margins turned down and small median adaxial groove. Adaxial surface

slightly ridged; abaxial surface furrowed ⅓ to ⅔ thickness of blade. Epidermis: cells on both surfaces rounded to dome-shaped; few conical, especially over midvein; thin-walled. Some adaxial epidermis replaced by sclerenchyma fibers in Menezes 230. Subjacent to adaxial epidermis is 1 or 2 layers of sclerenchyma fiber bundles interspersed with thin-walled cells. Below this is a layer of large, thin-walled parenchyma. Abaxial epidermis replaced by sclerenchyma fibers in Menezes 230 and Semir & Menezes 284. Subjacent to abaxial epidermis in all sections, is a layer of thin-walled parenchyma cells. Cuticle: thin and smooth on abaxial surface; slightly thicker and ridged on adaxial. Stomata: present in abaxial furrows only; stomata flush with epidermal surface and have a small substomatal chamber. Stomata associated with large projections from walls of furrows. Mesophyll: 2–5 layers of palisade cells followed by compactly arranged, spongy tissue. One to three layers of large, translucent cells radially arranged above vascular bundles and furrows; large amount of cells above midvein. Sclerenchyma fibers usually present in abaxial corners of furrows. Vascular bundles: 21–35 (no count available for Semir & Menezes 284); commissural bundles observed. One to three vessels present in each vascular bundle. Two phloem units lying laterally in flanges of Y-shaped abaxial girder. Adaxial cap present on each bundle. Bundle sheath completely surrounding each bundle. Crystals: none observed. Tannins: present.

TYPE.—Km 126 of the road from Lagoa Santa to Conceição do Mato Dentro, Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 3 November 1972, Semir & Menezes 284 (SPF, holotype; US, photo).

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from the type-area.

93. Vellozia decidua L. B. Smith & Ayensu, new species

A V. echinata Goethart & Henrard, cui affinis, foliorum vaginis multo expositis, laminis latioribus, ovarii glandulis subsessilibus differt.

Caudex to 3 dm high (!Irwin), 15 mm in diameter (including leaf-sheaths). Leaves many-ranked; sheaths subdensely imbricate and much exposed apically, splitting and curling with age; blades erect, deciduous, linear, attenuate, to 30 cm long, 10 mm wide, flat, laxly serrulate, otherwise even and glabrous.

Scapes terminal, 3, more or less decurved in fruit, 7 cm long (above the leaf-sheaths), subdensely vestite with fine pale subsessile glands. Ovary (capsule) ellipsoid, 2 cm long, covered with pale subsessile glands; epigynous tube short. Stamens and style lacking.

LEAF ANATOMY (Irwin et al. 22915).—Surface View: Hairs: few tufts present on both surfaces. Epidermis: cells square to rectangular on both surfaces; thin-walled. Stomata: paracytic, some tetracytic, 24 × 15 μm; present in rows on adaxial surface and in abaxial furrows; few on abaxial surface.

Transverse Section of Lamina: Dorsiventral; V-shaped with median adaxial groove and 2 small grooves lateral to this. Adaxial surface undulating but ridged in places; abaxial furrowed ¼ thickness of blade; no furrows among first four bundles immediately lateral to midvein. Few tufts of hairs present on both surfaces. Epidermis: cells on both surfaces rounded to dome-shaped; few conical; thin-walled. Subjacent to adaxial epidermis is a layer of thin-walled parenchyma cells; few places have sclerenchyma fiber bundles. Subjacent to abaxial epidermis is a layer of thin-walled parenchyma cells. Cuticle: thin and smooth on adaxial surface; slightly thicker and ridged on abaxial surface. Stomata: present on adaxial and abaxial surfaces and in abaxial furrows; stomata flush with epidermal surface; small substomatal chamber present. Mesophyll: 3 or 4 layers of palisade cells followed by compactly arranged spongy tissue. Two to four layers of translucent mesophyll radially arranged above vascular bundles, furrows, and midvein. Sclerenchyma fiber bundles present at abaxial corners of furrows. Vascular bundles: 17; commissural bundles observed. One or two large vessels present in each vascular bundle, mostly one. Two phloem units lying laterally in flanges of thick, U-shaped abaxial girder. Adaxial cap present on each bundle. Bundles completely surrounded by a bundle sheath. Crystals: none observed. Tannins: few present.

Note: The shape of this species is very distinctive in that part of the lamina is furrowed and the free ends of the V are significantly enlarged.

TYPE.—Outcrops in cerrado and low gallery forest, ca. 25 km northeast of Diamantina on road to Mendanha, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 1200 m alt., 30

January 1969, Irwin et al. 22915 (US, holotype; NY, isotype).

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from the type-collection.