# New Publication - Nomenclatural updates in Vellozia August 07, 2026 Former HUH Research Fellow Jenifer Lopes has published research from her fellowship in *Taxon*. In the paper, she and colleagues at the Universidade de São Paulo examine *Vellozia*, a group of flowering plants that is especially diverse in Brazil's *Campos Rupestres*, a unique high-altitude grassland ecosystem known for its exceptional biodiversity. Because *Vellozia* is so abundant and species-rich, it has become a model system for research in the region, however, the last comprehensive review of the group's classification was completed nearly 50 years ago. In this study, Lopes and her colleagues updated the scientific naming and classification of *Vellozia*, building on the work of earlier botanists to ensure that scientists are using accurate and consistent names for these plants. **Nomenclatural updates in** ***Vellozia*****: Typifications, and up-to-date list of accepted names with their nomenclatural types** **Abstract**: *Vellozia* is one of the most abundant and species-rich endemic genera in the *Campos Rupestres*, a tropical ecosystem in the highlands of central-eastern Brazil. As a result, it has been used as a model for numerous studies in the *Campos Rupestres*. However, *Vellozia's* last taxonomic revision was published almost 50 years ago. Here, we provide an update on the nomenclature of *Vellozia*, continuing the taxonomic work initiated by Smith, Ayensu, and Mello-Silva. We acknowledge the immense contributions these scholars made to the taxonomy and nomenclature of *Vellozia*. Here, we are proceeding with the necessary nomenclatural actions to ensure the correct application of *Vellozia* names. There are 131 recognized *Vellozia* species, including 90 synonyms. We designate 12 lectotypes and 3 neotypes, and elevate one variety to species level. *Vellozia* is distributed from Panama in Central America to São Paulo, Brazil. There are 99 species in the state of Minas Gerais, primarily found in the Southern Espinhaço Range, half of them occurring between Serra do Cipó and the Diamantina Plateau. **Lopes, J.C.**, Magri, R. and Prado, J. (2026), Nomenclatural updates in *Vellozia*: Typifications, and up-to-date list of accepted names with their nomenclatural types. TAXON, 75: e70218. Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)