Vellozia scoparia Goethart & Henrard

Vellozia scoparia Goethart & Henrard

Vellozia scoparia Goethart & Henrard, Blumea, 2:380, 1937.— L. B. Smith, Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb., 35:262, 1962.

LEAF ANATOMY (L. B. Smith, Ayensu & Hatschbach 16006).—Surface View: Hairs: few tufts present on abaxial surface. Epidermis: adaxial cells 4- to 7-sided; thin-walled. Abaxial cells mostly rectangular; thin-walled. Stomata: tetracytic, 21 × 12 μm; present mainly on adaxial surface, arranged in linear rows.

Transverse Section of Lamina: Dorsiventral; V-shaped with deep median adaxial groove. Abaxial surface undulating, adaxial side highly ridged. Epidermis: cells on both surfaces rounded; thin-walled. Cuticle: thickened on both surfaces; thicker on abaxial; smooth. Stomata: present on adaxial surface only; associated with fairly large substomatal chamber. Mesophyll: 3 or 4 layers of compactly arranged palisade cells followed by 9 or 10 layers of closely packed, rounded spongy tissue. Vascular bundles: 8; commissural bundles observed. One to three large vessels present in each vascular bundle. Two phloem units lying lateral to xylem in short flanges of short, thick abaxial girder. Adaxial cap present on each vascular bundle. Bundle sheath completely surrounding each vascular bundle. No abaxial sclerenchyma strands or layers observed. Crystals: none observed. Tannins: present in adaxial epidermal cells and in bundle sheath cells; few in abaxial epidermal cells.

Note: The presence of stomata on the adaxial surface with distinct substomatal chamber is very characteristic of this species.

TYPE.—In campo, Tombador near Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 6 April 1892, Glaziou 19939 (L, holotype; B, photo).

DISTRIBUTION.—Brazil: Minas Gerais: Forming mats in brown sandy soil, near Sopa, Guinda to São João da Chapada, 18 January 1959, Irwin 2489 (TEX, US). On rocks, 7 km west of Diamantina, 21 January 1972, L. B. Smith, Ayensu & Hatschbach

16006 (HB, US). Also from Jaboticatubas and São João de Chapada.