ABSTRACT
Leguminosae is one of the most representative families of the Brazilian Chaco, with Caesalpinioideae as the second subfamily with more species. Nevertheless, there are few studies on the chaquenian portion of Brazil. This study is a floristic survey of the Leguminosae subfamily Caesalpinioideae in a Chaco remnant in Porto Murtinho, Mato Grosso do Sul. Field collections of fertile materials were made during the dry and the rainy season, using random sampling. This study presents identification key, descriptions, illustrations, habitat comments and taxonomy for each taxon. Caesalpinioideae is represented by three tribes and twelve taxa: Bauhinia hagenbeckii, Caesalpinia paraguariensis, C. pluviosa, Chamaecrista nictitans subsp. disadena var. pilosa, C. rotundifolia var. rotundifolia, Parkinsonia praecox, Peltophorum dubium, Pterogyne nitens, Senna pendula var. paludicola, S. pilifera var. pilifera, S. obtusifolia, and S. occidentalis. Bauhinia hagenbeckii and Caesalpinia paraguariensis are possibly restricted to the Chaco.
Key words:
floristics; Fabaceae; Neotropics; stepic savannah