Vellozia glochidea Pohl

Vellozia glochidea Pohl-Heringer

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—Irwin et al. 14584; Duarte 8340-Mattos 677; Heringer 10923.

SURFACE VIEW.—Hairs: absent. Epidermis: cells square to rectangular in shape; walls thin. Stomata: paracytic, 21 × 18 μm; and present on abaxial surface only in Irwin et al. 14584.

TRANSVERSE SECTION OF LAMINA.—Dorsiventral; V-shaped with small median adaxial groove; turned slightly inversely at margins. Adaxial surface slightly undulating; abaxial surface furrowed up to one-third the thickness of blade in Irwin 14584, one-fourth in Heringer 10923 and Duarte 8340-Mattos 677. Epidermis: cells rounded to dome shaped on abaxial and adaxial surfaces; thin walled. Subjacent are three to four layers sclerenchyma strands interspersed with rows of parenchyma. Sclerenchyma layers very distinct and interspersed with single parenchyma rows in Irwin et al. 14584. Below sclerenchyma is a distinct layer of parenchyma cells. Cuticle: thick and smooth on adaxial surface; bumpy on abaxial surface; very thick and ridged in Irwin et al. 14584. Stomata: present on adaxial and abaxial surfaces and in abaxial furrows; substomatal chamber present; seen only in abaxial furrows in Irwin et al. 14584. Mesophyll: definite palisade tissue present in two to four layers grading into compact spongy tissue. Three to four layers translucent palisade cells arranged radially above vascular bundles. Vascular bundles: 27; 43 in Irwin et al. 14584; few commissural bundles observed. Usually one large vessel in each vein. Two phloem units lying laterally in flanges of Y-shaped abaxial girder. Each vascular bundle accompanied by an adaxial cap. Abaxial sclerenchyma strands or layers present (three to four layered in Irwin et al. 14584); parenchyma layer may be between sclerenchyma and mesophyll. Vascular bundles completely surrounded by bundle sheath; cells at abaxial end of sheath may be enlared. Crystals: none observed. Tannins: few present.

NOTE: The specimen by Irwin et al. 14584 does not seem to be the same as the other two specimens.

Vellozia glochidea Pohl

Vellozia glochidea Pohl, Pl. Bras., 1:129, 1827.—Seubert in Martius, Fl. Bras., 3(1):79, 1847—L. B. Smith, Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb., 35:264, 1962.—Ayensu, Smithsonian Contr. Bot., 15:25, fig. 12a–c, pls. 5a, 31h, 32a–b, 1974.

Vellozia gardneri Goethart & Henrard, Blumea, 2:371, 1937 [type: Natividade, Goiás, Brazil, Gardner 4018 (P, US, W)].

TYPE.—Sandy slopes, Serra Dourada, Goiás, Brazil, Pohl s n (M, holotype; F, photo 18975).

DISTRIBUTION.—Brazil: Pará: Serra dos Carajás, Marabá. Minas Gerais: São João da Chapada. Goiás: Corumbá de Goiás, Goiania, Luziania. Pirenópolis, Posse, Serra Dourada.

69. Vellozia nuda L. B. Smith & Ayensu, new species

A V. glochidea Pohl, cui valde affinis, caudice graciliore, foliorum vaginis apice multo expositis differt.

Caudex simple or few-branched, 1 m high, 8–12 mm in diameter (including leaf-sheaths). Leaves few-ranked; sheaths subdensely imbricate with 2 cm or more of the apex exposed, even, glabrous, nonglutinous; blades linear, attenuate, 15–50 cm long, 4–9 mm wide, serrulate on the thick yellow margins, otherwise even and glabrous.

Scapes terminal, single, erect, 3–15 cm long (above the leaf-sheaths), terete, even, glabrous. Ovary cylindric, 1 cm long at anthesis (type) to 3 cm in fruit, covered with subulate trichomes. Tepals narrowly elliptic, 45 mm long, violet (!Hatschbach). Stamens ca. 18, ca. 25 mm long; phalanges unappendaged. Style exceeding the stamens; stigmas orbicular, terminal, spreading.

LEAF ANATOMY.—Ayensu, Smithsonian Contr. Bot., 15:33, fig. 4c, pl. 37e, 1974.

TYPE.—Sandy soil at base of rock outcrop, Rio Jequitinhonha, Mun. Cunha Magalhães, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 16 November 1971, Hatschbach & Pelanda 28029 (US, holotype; MBM, isotype).

DISTRIBUTION.—Brazil: Minas Gerais: L. B. Smith, Ayensu & Hatschbach 16000 (US, isotype). Edge of stream, on rocks, 9 km by road southwest of Mendanha and the Rio “Jequiti” on the road to Diamantina, 1150 m alt, 14 April 1973, Anderson 8877 (NY, UB, US).