Floristic survey and dispersal syndromes in Araucaria Forest remnants of Parana state, Brazil

This study presents a list of plants found in three areas of Araucaria Forest along with their dispersal syndromes. We sampled monthly (August 2003 to December 2005) five transects with 5 km each, collecting samples of flowering and fruiting plants. We identified 210 species, including 83 trees, 58 shrubs, 36 herbs, 23 vines, eight epiphytes and two parasites. Most species were zoochorous (68.6%), followed by anemochorous (21.9%) and autochorous (6.7%) ones. Comparisons with other florist surveys previously conducted in this forest type suggested that our study areas are poor, both when all species are taken into account or when just trees are. The results are discussed based on the history of degradation of the study region and on the abundance of bamboos in the understory.

Araucaria Forest; conservation; floristic diversity; phytogeography