The flora of Jericoacoara Environmental Protected Area was studied in the State of Ceará, northeast of Brasil (2°47' - 2°51'S e 40°36' - 40°24'W). The Aw' type climate (Köppen classification) has mean temperatures of 22° - 35° C with rains in summer (December to June). There is a hot, dry period of 5-6 months from July to December and sporadical rains occurs in September and October. Gaussen's xerothermic index oscilates between 100 to 150. The main vegetation types are: the mangroves on the stuaries and beaches, the creeping psammophyte vegetation on sand dunes with aquatic macrophytes in the slacks, and the xeromorphic scrub. Eighty-seven species belonging to forthy-one families and seventy-seven genera were identified. Poaceae (13%), Cyperaceae (13%), Fabaceae (6%), Amaranthaceae (6%) e Rubiaceae (6%) were the most species-rich families. Aspects of environmental conservation within the Jericoacoara Environmental Protection Area are discussed.
coastal plants; psammophytes; sand dune vegetation; sand coastal plain; Jericoacoara Protection Area
