FLORISTIC COMPOSITION OF THE VERA ARRUDA CORRIDOR IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF MACEIÓ, AL

Abstract

The study presents a technical survey of the arboreal vegetation along the Vera Arruda Corridor in Maceió. The methodology consisted of a floristic census across a 1.5 km extension, conducted in the second half of 2025, including individuals with a Circumference at Breast Height (CBH) greater than or equal to 15 cm. A total of 433 individuals were identified and organized according to the APG IV system and the Flora do Brasil database. The data revealed that the Bignoniaceae family is the most representative (37.88%), followed by Fabaceae (15.70%) and Arecaceae (12.01%). Among the species, the pink poui (Handroanthus heptaphyllus (Vell.) Mattos) stood out with 126 specimens, followed by the sea almond (Terminalia catappa L.) with 40, and the coconut tree (Cocos nucifera L.) with 28 individuals. In the legume group (Fabaceae), species such as the guamúchil (Pithecellobium dulce (Roxb.) Benth.), leadtree (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit), and Brazilwood (Paubrasilia echinata (Lam.) Gagnon, H.C.Lima & G.P.Lewis) were recorded. The results indicate a predominance of exotic species (53.6%) over native ones (46.4%). Statistical analysis revealed low floristic evenness (standard deviation of 41.82), showing that a few families dominate the landscape.