The floristic composition of the vegetation in the southern part of the Ibiapaba plateau was studied at Novo Oriente, Ceará - Brazil (5°28’ - 5°43’S and 40°52’ - 40º55’W ; 750-850 m altitude). A total of 184 species in 52 families was collected, including herbs, vines, shrubs and trees. Families with the highest number of species were Caesalpiniaceae (17 species), Fabaceae (16 species), Euphorbiaceae (15 species), Myrtaceae (11 species), Bignoniaceae (10 species) and Mimosaceae (9 species). Of 102 shrub and tree species in the area, 24 occurred in both caatinga and cerrado, 29 in cerrado, 17 in caatinga, one in forest and 31 only in carrasco. It is not yet possible to define whether carrasco is a degraded cerradão or a type vegetation on its own. Surveys in other carrasco areas are necessary in order to contribute to solve this problem.
Carrasco; vascular flora; vegetation
