(Floristics and structure of the, IBGE, Federal District, Brazil). Despite been protected by law gallery forests have been systematically replaced by other uses. The study focused on the Taquara gallery forest within the Ecological Reserve of the "Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística" in the Federal District, Central Brazil. One thousand trees (DBH ³ 5cm) were recorded using the point centered-quarter (PCQ) method. A total of 250 sampling points were established in sampling lines from the stream margins to the forest-cerrado border and distributed from the head to the mouth of the stream. The floristic composition, phytosociology and diameter distribution were analyzed. One hundred and ten species of 49 families were found. The most important families were: Leguminosae, Rubiaceae, Anacardiaceae, Euphorbiaceae e Sapindaceae, while the most important species were: Tapirira guianensis, Copaifera langsdorffii, Lamanonia ternata, Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil, Piptocarpha macropoda, Alibertia macrophylla, Matayba guianensis, Pera glabrata, Guettarda viburnioides e Ixora warmingii. Density and basal area were estimated as 1573 trees.ha-1 and 38.5 m².ha-1 respectively. Diameter distribution indicated a tendency to an inverted `J' curve revealing low levels of disturbance in this gallery forest. A floristic comparison with 21 gallery forests in the Federal District indicated Taquara gallery forest as a rich site including 110 (29,1%) of the 378 species recorded and Sørensen similarities ranging from 0,34 to 0,80 within the studied forests.
Trees; cerrado; world biodiversity hot spot; conservation
