The tribe Swartzieae tribe belongs to subfamily Papilionoideae of the Leguminosae, and comprises the type genus (with 143 species) and 11 other genera (with a total of 50 species), restricted to the paleo- or neotropics. Southeastern Brazil contains many species of tribe Swartzieae, especially in the genus Zollernia, which has 70% of its species in the area. The present paper reports the geographical distribution and preferred habitat of the species and highlights the centers of diversity of the Swartzieae in Southeastern Brazil. Herbarium specimens were examined and some field observations were made. Four genera were detected, Bocoa in "caatinga" vegetation and Exostyles, Swartzia and Zollernia with strong associations with the Atlantic Forest. Rio de Janeiro is the state with the largest number of species, 15, followed by Espírito Santo with 13, Minas Gerais with 12, and São Paulo with seven. Six species are widely distributed in this region and some extend their range into Northern Brazil. In contrast, Swartzia alternifoliolata and S. capixabensis are endemic to the state of Espírito Santo, Zollernia cowanii to Minas Gerais and S. glazioviana, Z. glabra and Z. glaziovii are endemic to Rio de Janeiro. In Southeastern Brazil the centers of diversity of the tribe Swartzieae and of the genera Swartzia and Zollernia are mainly in Northern Espírito Santo and around the Capital of the State of Rio de Janeiro.
Geographical distribution; habitat; centers of diversity; Swartzieae; Leguminosae Papilionoideae