Who is Vell?
José Mariano de Conceição Vellozo (also called José Mariano da Conceição Velloso) (1742–1811) was a Colonial Brazilian botanist who catalogued specimens, for example: Cedrela fissilis Vell. in Florae Fluminensis (1825–27; 1831). He was born in Tiradentes, formerly called São José do Rio das Mortes, state of Minas Gerais; and died in Rio de Janeiro, state of Rio de Janeiro. While at the University of Coimbra in Portugal in the 1790s he worked with Martim Francisco Ribeiro de Andrada in translating works on mineralogy and agriculture. The standard author abbreviation Vell. is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name. The publishing history of Florae Fluminensis is a most curious one. Encouraged by the Viceroy, Luiz de Vasconcelos, Vellozo spent 25 years studying and collecting the Brazilian flora. In 1790 he voyaged to Lisbon, intent on publication of his work, with descriptions of 1640 species and 1700 illustrations, created by Friar Francisco ...
