Anatomia da madeira de Colletia paradoxa (Spreng.) Escalante

This paper deals with the description of general, macroscopic and microscopic anatomy of Colletia paradoxa (Spreng.) Escalante, an aphyllous and xerophilous shrub from Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). Pores of very small diameter, very short vessel elements, spiral thickenings and simple perforation plates in vessels, non sptate libriform fibers, scanty paratracheal axial paranchyma, and Heterogeneous II rays were observed in the wood.. Perforated cells are also common in rays. The presence of perforated ray cells and anatomical features of the vessel elements are discussed with respect to eco-physiological aspect of the plant and wood anatomy literature.