Vegetation Types
Anthropic area
Areas where the original vegetation was disturbed or destroyed and bears little or no resemblance to its initial plant coverage, including plantations, pastures (active or abandoned) and urban areas.
Caatinga (stricto sensu)
Xerophitic type of savanna occurring within the semi-arid climate region of Northeastern Brazil. Is a type of sparse vegetation that covers massifs and plateaus where rivers are mostly seasonal. Amongst the more frequent plant families are the Leguminosae, Asteraceae, Cactaceae Euphorbiaceae and Malpighiaceae.
Campinarana
Low, sparse vegetation growing on sandy soils mostly within terra firme land in the Amazon. It can be of the \u2018forested\u2019 type, similar to a gallery forest, \u2018wooded\u2019 where the trees are shorter, and finally \u2018grassy-woody\u2019, where it occurs in wet plains near rivers and lakes. Amongst the more frequent plant families are the Arecaceae, Bromeliaceae, Clusiaceae, Humiriaceae, Marantaceae, Meliaceae and Rapateaceae.
High Altitude Grassland
Open fields found at the highest altitudes of the Serra do Mar, Mantiqueira and Serra Geral, mostly above 900m. The substrate is frequently igneous or metamorphic (granite/gnaisse) rock, and this vegetation type is associated to the Mata Atl\u00E2ntica. Amongst the more frequent plant families are the Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Melastomataceae, Orchidaceae and Poaceae.
V\u00E1rzea Field
Open vegetation where a continuous carpet of tall grasses and sedges that grows in temporarily flooded areas near rivers and lakes. It is generally associated to V\u00E1rzea Inundated Forests. The more frequent plant families are the Poaceae and Cyperaceae.
Grassland
Open vegetation where there is a generally continuous carpet of grasses and subshrubby dicots while trees and robust shrubs are almost absent, found within the Cerrado and Pampa Biomes. Amongst the more frequent plant families are the Poaceae, Asteraceae, Cyperaceae and Leguminosae.
Rocky Field
Altitude open fields found mostly above 900 m de altitude on quartzitic, arenitic or iron and manganese rich rocky soils. It is mostly associated to the Cerrado and Caatinga Biomes. Amongst the more frequent plant families are the Asteraceae, Eriocaulaceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Melastomataceae, Orchidaceae, Velloziaceae and Xyridaceae.
Carrasco Vegetation
Dense, tall xerophilous scrub with many lianas and discontinuous canopy, emergent trees sparse. Within the Caatinga Biome it occurs over deep, distrophic quartzitic sands while in the Cerrado it grows on litossoils. Amongst the more frequent plant families are the Leguminosae, Apocynaceae, Combretaceae, Solanaceae.
Cerrado (lato sensu)
An assemblage of different profiles that occurs within the Cerrado Biome, where forested (Cerrad\u00E3o), savannas (Cerrado stricto sensu) and grasslands (Campo Sujo) share a xeromorphic flora. Amongst the more frequent plant families are Asteraceae, Leguminosae, Malpighiaceae, Poaceae, Rubiaceae e Vochysiaceae.
Riverine Forest and/or Gallery Forest
Forest associated to intermittent water courses, which can be wide (riverine) or narrower and with the canopy meeting over the river (gallery). More often associated to the Cerrado and Caatinga Biomes, is found throughout Brazil under various names. Amongst the more frequent plant families are the Leguminosae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Clusiaceae and Rubiaceae.
Inundated Forest, Igap\u00F3
Amazonian forest where the soil remains either wet or flooded for most of the year, often associated to sandy soils. When compared to Terra Firme and V\u00E1rzea Inundated Forests it is generally the less tall of them.
Terra Firme Forest
Dense and tall Amazonian forest growing above the river valleys, in higher ground that does not get flooded by the rivers. Amongst the more frequent plant families are the Leguminosae, Lecythidaceae, Chrysobalanaceae, Sapotaceae and Burseraceae.
Inundated Forest, V\u00E1rzea
Amazonian forest subject to periodical inundation during the floods, mostly associated to clay soil. Amongst the more frequent plant families are the Arecaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae, Moraceae and Polygonaceae.
Seasonally Deciduous Forest
Forest where marked alternate dry and wet seasons determine the almost complete (90%) loss of leaves, occurring mostly on higher ground between river valleys. Amongst the more frequent plant families are the Leguminosae, Malvaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Apocynaceae and Sapindaceae.
Seasonal Evergreen Forest
Found at the southern border of the Amazon (Alto Xingu region) this forest occurs on latossoils and is markedly seasonal, with a dry season varying from four to six months. Despite this seasonality, the plant species maintain their leaves as water is constantly avaible, due to the almost flat topography. Its floristic composition is exclusive and dissimilar to the surrounding forests (Ombrophylous Forest and Seasonally Deciduous and Semideciduous Forest).
Seasonally Semideciduous Forest
Forest where marked alternate dry and wet seasons determine partial (10\u201350%) loss of leaves, occurring mostly on higher ground between river valleys. Leguminosae is one of the most frequent families.
Ombrophylous Forest (\
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