Floristic composition of an area of savanna (cerrado) at Itirapina region, São Paulo State (22°15'43''-50'' S and 47°53'- 54' W), presenting dry and swamp grasslands (campo sujo and campo úmido), was studied and compared to distinguish this physiognomies. Collects were carried out monthly from March 1998 to April 1999, and sporadically from May 1999 to December 2001. In addition, a survey of previously collected plants of this area was conducted at the Herbário Rioclarense (HRCB) collection. The results were analysed according to the presence of such species in the physiognomies and to the floristic components. A total of 384 species, 211 genera and 76 families of vascular plants were sampled. 255 out of the total were exclusively found in the dry grassland, 114 were found only in swamp grassland. Only 10 species were present in both physiognomies. The richest families found in the dry grassland were: Asteraceae, Leguminosae and Poaceae. Among the richest families found in the swamp grassland Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Lentibulariaceae and Eriocaulaceae were the most important. The proportion between herbaceous and woody floras of dry grassland was 3.6:1. No woody species were found in swamp grassland. This study showed that floristic distinction between dry and swamp grassland is pronounced due to the small number of species these areas share.
Brazilian vegetation; floristic composition; herbaceous swamp; tropical grasslands; wetlands
