SUMMARY
Some of the main types of vegetation from Minas Gerais were refered to with special emphasis on campo formation which covers the region embraced between Diamantina and Grão Mogol, and upon the drier, caatinga like vegetation around Araçuaí-Itinga-Itaobim. At the sandy campos among the few cacti species present, Discocactus tricornis (Dietr.) Monv. dominated amply. A number of Melocactus specimens were collected for future study in cultivation. M. diersianus not only thrived in an unusual habitat, limestone, endowed with rather copius water (Fig. 1 shows it amidst a vigorous growth of Selaginella sp.), but also differed from other through its distinct prickles (very thick and bent) combined with some body features (Fig. 1 and 8); the cephalium is big and deeply red, producing slightly colored berries (at times almost white). The bignoniaceous Cuspidaria cordata Mattos also was described as a new taxon, differing from C. argentea (Wawra) Sandw. in the cordate leaves and the pods both longer and narrower.