Flowering plants of the Grota do Angico Natural Monument, Caatinga of Sergipe, Brazil

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to survey the Angiosperms from an area of Caatinga, in the Grota do Angico Natural Monument, state of Sergipe, Brazil. A total of 174 species and 51 families were registered. Fabaceae (29 species) is the family with the highest number of species, followed by Asteraceae (11), Euphorbiaceae (10), Malvaceae and Poaceae (9 each) and Rubiaceae (8), Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae and Convolvulaceae (7 each). Most species are herbaceous (55.2%), followed by trees (20.7%), shrubs and vines (7.5% each), subshrubs (6.3%), epiphytes (1.7%) and hemiparasites (1.2%). Approximately 17% (30 species) of the flora are endemic to the Caatinga, one species is rare and two are vulnerable. Our results reinforce the importance of conserving the remaining forest vegetation against the anthropic pressure.