Vellozia hemisphaerica Seub.

Vellozia burle-marxii L. B. Smith

SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—R. Burle-marx, s.n.; Irwin et al. 32520.

SURFACE VIEW.—Hairs: absent. Epidermis: adaxial and abaxial cells, rectangular, thin walled. Stomata: paracytic, 24 × 15 μm; observed on abaxial surface only.

TRANSVERSE SECTION OF LAMINA.—Dorsiventral; V-shaped with median adaxial groove. Adaxial surface conspicuously ridged and more or less slightly furrowed; abaxial surface distinctly furrowed. Epidermis: cells more or less rectangular; thin walled. Cuticle: uniformly thin, slightly thicker on abaxial side of median groove. Stomata: present in abaxial furrows only; slightly sunken; somewhat protected by epidermal protuberances in furrows; substomatal chamber present. Mesophyll: adaxial palisade three to four layered, occupying half of mesophyll and abruptly changing into spongy tissue; palisade cells radially arranged above vascular bundles, translucent and slightly larger than rest of cells; other palisade cells compactly arranged and filled with chloroplast. Vascular bundles: of two types, major and minor veins; major veins 19; minor veins 18. Major veins each with one to two wide vessels, mostly one; two phloem units lying laterally in flanges of abaxial Y-shaped girder; each vascular bundle always accompanied by adaxial cap; vascular bundle completely surrounded by a distinct bundle sheath. Minor veins observed at adaxial side of abaxial furrows; both adaxial and abaxial sides of vascular bundle accompanied by sclerenchyma caps. Minor veins also surrounded by a distinct bundle sheath. Crystals and tannin: not observed.

NOTE: The presence of major and minor veins in this species coupled with the bifurcations of the abaxial surfaces, especially with respect to the lateral epidermal projections, recalls the same conditions in Vellozia hemisphaerica.

Vellozia hemisphaerica Seubert

Vellozia hemisphaerica Seubert in Martius, Fl. Bras., 3(1):80, pl. 9, 1847—L. B. Smith, Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb., 35:261, 1962.—Ayensu, Smithsonian Contr. Bot., 15:28, fig. 8e, 1974.

TYPE.—“Mediterraneis” (probably in the vicinity of São Salvador), Bahia, Brazil, Blanchet 2544 (G, P, isotypes).

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from the type-collection.

89. Vellozia burle-marxii L. B. Smith & Ayensu, new species

A V. hemisphaerica Seubert, cui valde affinis, caudice gracili, foliorum vaginis apice expositis differt.

Caudex decumbent, branched, over 20 cm long, 3–4 mm in diameter (including leaf-bases). Leaves 3-ranked, nonglutinous; sheaths subdensely imbricate with the apices exposed for 7 mm, even, glabrous, whitish turning to brown with age; blades persistent, spreading from the first, contorted, linear, acute to a setiform apex, 5 cm long, 3 mm wide, complanate, laxly serrulate, otherwise even and glabrous.

Scapes solitary, becoming lateral, erect, 20 cm long, less than 1 mm in diameter, trigonous, finely and laxly stipitate-glandular. Ovary hemisphaeric, 5 mm in diameter, densely and finely stipitate-glandular. Tepals elliptic, obtuse, 2 cm long, violet. Stamens 18, phalanges slenderly cylindric. Style exceeding the stamens; stigmas terminal, orbicular, spreading.

LEAF ANATOMY.—Ayensu, Smithsonian Contr. Bot., 15:14, fig. 16a–c, 1974.

TYPE.—Pedra de Chapeu, Bahia, Brazil, cultivated 14 December 1968, Burle-Marx s n (US 2537159, holotype).

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from the type-collection.

90. Vellozia lilacina L. B. Smith & Ayensu, new species

A V. leptopetala Goethart & Henrard cui affinis, tepalis divergentibus, filamentis pallidis differt.

Caudex erect, branching, 7 dm high, 9 mm in diameter (including leaf-sheaths). Leaves 3-ranked; sheaths imbricate but with the apical 10 mm exposed, glabrous, brown; blades linear, obtuse or retuse, to 13 cm long, 7 mm wide, bicarinate toward apex, laxly serrulate on margins and keels.

Scapes becoming lateral, to 8 cm long (above the leaf-sheaths), 2 mm in diameter, laxly and finely stipitate-glandular. Ovary ellipsoid, 15 mm long, densely stipitate-glandular; epigynous tube short. Tepals elliptic, obtuse, 45 mm long, lilac (!Menezes). Stamens ca. 30; phalanges fimbriate-appendaged. Style exceeding the stamens; stigmas terminal, orbicular, spreading.

LEAF ANATOMY (Menezes 238).—Surface View: Hairs: few large tufts present on both surfaces. Epidermis: cells square to rectangular on both surfaces; thin-walled. Stomata: paracytic, some tetracytic, 21 × 15 μm; present in furrows and on abaxial surface.

Transverse Section of Lamina: Dorsiventral; flanges V-shaped. Adaxial surface slightly ridged; abaxial surface furrowed ¼ to ⅓ thickness of blade. Epidermis: cells rounded to dome-shaped on both surfaces; few conical; thin-walled. Subjacent to adaxial epidermis is a layer of thin-walled cells interspersed with sclerenchyma fibers. No sclerenchyma above midvein. Below this is a layer of fairly large, thin-walled parenchyma cells. Cuticle: slightly thickened and smooth over entire surface. Stomata: present in abaxial furrows and on abaxial surface; stomata slightly above epidermal surface; small substomatal chamber present. Mesophyll: 1–3 layers of palisade cells followed by rounded, compactly arranged spongy mesophyll. Cells translucent above furrows. Strands of sclerenchyma fibers at abaxial corners of furrows. Vascular bundles: 22–27; commissural bundles not observed. One or two vessels present in each bundle, mostly one. Two phloem units lying laterally in flanges of U- or Y-shaped abaxial girder. Fairly large adaxial cap present on each bundle. Bundle sheath completely surrounding each bundle. Crystals: none observed. Tannins: few present.

TYPE.—Km 127 on the west side of the road from Lagoa Santa to Conceição do Mato Dentro, Serra do Cipó, 23 July 1972, Menezes 238 (US, holotype; SPF, isotype).

DISTRIBUTION.—Known only from the type-area.