Mandevilla velame (A. St.-Hil.) Pichon is a subshrub with a peculiar albo-lanuginose indument and white showy flowers. The meaning of this work is to contribute for the morphologic knowledge of this species. Developmental stages of their flowers had been registered in scanning electron microscopy - SEM. Sepals initiation is unidirectional spiraled dextrorse, composing the quincuncial aestivation. The petals and staminal primordia initiated in a pentagonal dome. Before the closure of the corolla, their lobes overlap in imbricate dextrorse aestivation. The staminal primordia are initially presented as convex-rounded domes, later they become ovate and filament elongates by intercalate growth. The gynoecium formed is hemisyncarpic with a congenitally connate base. It is argued on the mixed origin of the gynoecium and the " secondary apocarpy" pointed out for the family is questioned and a new ontogenetic pattern is proposed. The nectary is appendicular, it being constituted of a ring deeply pentalobed and congenitally adnate to the ovary. This result differs from that one related for the other specie of this genus. Methodological adaptations for SEM studies are presented.
Apocynaceae; Macrosiphonia; Cerrado; gynoecium; syncarpy
