In 1790 he voyaged to Lisbon, intent on publication of his work, with descriptions of 1640 species and 1700 illustrations, created by Friar Francisco Solano and Antonio Alvares.

When 554 plates had been completed the French invaded Portugal, and the Portuguese government relocated to Brazil, Vellozo returning to the monastery in Rio de Janeiro, where he died in 1811, having left his manuscripts to the Royal Library.

The Brazilian government, though, was not to be deterred, and when printing was close to completion they cancelled the contract, because of political turmoil which led to the abdication of Emperor Pedro I.

Despite these difficulties the printing run was finished by Knecht and shipped to Brazil, taking up an enormous amount of space in the Government offices.

[3] In 1888, botanist Henri Ernest Baillon published Vellosiella, which is a genus of hemiparasitic (a parasite under natural conditions, but remains photosynthetic to at least some degree) flowering plants from South America, belonging to the family Orobanchaceae.