Studies about ruderal plants in cities have actually been intense, having as a primordial objective the knowledge of its potential and variations in its utilization. Any work about this aspect in the city of Cuiabá (Mato Grosso - Brazil) hasn't been found in the literature so far. Owing to the high occurrence of ruderal species in this city, this study was realized aiming at cataloguing them, as well as verifying their regional use. The sampling was realized in two selected areas, the "Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso" Campus and the "Boa Esperança" neighbourhood. The plants selection and their identification were realized in the Botany Laboratory of the Biosciences Institute of this University. The botanical survey undertaken in these two areas catalogued 109 species and 81 genera distributed in 35 families. The family Gramineae (=Poaceae) presented the highest number of species (14). followed by Compositae (=Asteraceae 13), Leguminosae (=Fabaceae 11), Euphorbiaceae (10) and others with lower number. Among the 109 catalogued species, Panicum maximum Jacq. (capim-colonião), Turnera ulmifolia L. (chanana), Cecropia peltata L. (embaúva) and Ipomoea acuminata Roem & Sch. are used locally as fodder, adornment and in popular medicine.
ruderal plants; Mato Grosso; floristic survey