Floristic composition of the rock outcrops of the Morro do Forno, Altinópolis-SP

Abstract

Rock outcrops on the plateaus of hills have peculiar vegetation. The major part of the species occurring on these areas have various features that allow their survival under adverse environmental conditions as poor and sandy soil with intense solar radiation and great temperature ranging from day and night. These particular characteristics aroused the interest in the study of the flora on rock outcrops of Morro do Forno (Altinópolis-SP). A list of 157 species of 48 families was recorded. Fabaceae (14 spp.), Asteraceae (12 spp.), Poaceae (12 spp.), Rubiaceae (11 spp.), Malpighiaceae (9 spp.) and Melastomataceae (8 spp.) are the families with more number of species. The herbaceous-shruby stratum characterizes the area (61%), followed by arboreous (19%); lianas (11%) and subshruby (9%) are less representative. Many of the species occurring on the area are present another Brazilian rocky outcrops as, for example, the "campos rupestres" of the Minas Gerais state (Serra do Cipó and Serra da Canastra) and the "cerrados rupestres" of the Mato Grosso state (Chapada dos Guimarães).