The information available on the flora of upland forests of Pernambuco's semi-arid region ("brejo de altitude") indicates two situations: one flora more similar with forests closer to the Atlantic coast; and another more similar to the drier forests of northeastern inlands. This study aimed to investigate the floristic composition of upland forest fragments in the municipality of Brejo da Madre de Deus, Pernambuco, located in a geographical transition area between those forests. The results were compared with five floristic surveys carried out in Pernambuco forests that used similar sampling methodologies. Two-hundred ninety-three species were identified, distributed among 185 genera and 71 families. Arboreal and shrubby/subshrub species stood out richness of the total species collected (50% and 24%, respectively), which indicates floristic similarity with the highland forests closer to the Atlantic coast. The other habits did not present clear floristic similarity patterns.
Brejo de Altitude; floristic composition; fragments; montane forest
