In the Cardosa Island, located in the Maricá lagoon system, a floristic survey (especially of woody plants) was carried out and profile diagrams were drawn in order to compare the vegetation of two contiguous areas: an area on quaternary sandy terrain and other on the top of a small hill (Table-land). In each area a 2 x 60m transect was delimited and every shrub, tree or liana with diameter at the base of the stem (DSB) ³ 2,5cm inside of it was recorded and drawn. 276 herbaceous and woody individuals, belonging to 69 species and 33 families, were sampled. The percentage of species and families restricted to one area , and the structural features relative to density, crown width, proportion of trees and lianas and the presence of basal ramification of the stem showed differences between the two areas. Both formations showed floristic and physiognomic similarities with restinga's forests. The adequacy of the transect width, as well as of the minimum DSB used in the profile diagrams were also discussed. The profile diagram was considered an useful instrument for the study and comparison of forests physiognomic structures.
profile diagram; physiognomy; atlantic forest; Rio de Janeiro
