The flora of the Pantanal in Mato Grosso is surprising and exuberant. The Pantanal landscape is made up of fragments of different ecosystems, with an extraordinary diversity of plant species.
It is an intricate mosaic of different plant formations, typical of biomes such as the Cerrado (to the east, north and south), the Chaco (to the south-west), the Atlantic Forest (to the south and south-east), as well as species from the Amazon Rainforest (to the north) and the Bolivian Chiquitano Dry Forest (to the north-west).
In the largest floodplain on earth, samples of biomes appear isolated in certain stretches or confusingly mixed.
It is a synthesis of ecosystems that covers the entire length of the Pantanal and is home to nearly 1,800 plant species.
One of the most famous and beautiful trees is the piúva, the local name for the purple ipe.
In fact, in the Pantanal, ipe trees are commonly known as “paratudo”, a term that reflects the multiple uses of their wood.
There are also around 250 species of aquatic plants, such as water hyacinths and Santa Luzia grass, which play a fundamental role in purifying the water by absorbing heavy metals through their roots and providing shelter for fish in the early stages of their lives.
Tufts of aquatic vegetation form bulky masses called camalots, which are carried by currents and move along rivers.
Other species, such as nymphs and the Amazon water lily, thrive in calm, still waters.
Flora e Vegetação do Pantanal Matogrossense
PANTANAL FLORA – FROM FOREST TO CAATINGA
The type of vegetation and flora that predominates in each region depends on its altitude.
In low, humid areas, the ground is covered with grasses, known as campos limpos, which are used for grazing.
In areas where the soil is sandy and acidic, typical Cerrado species predominate.
These are medium-sized trees with thick, fire-resistant bark, such as pequi, aroeira and embiruçu.
Large and medium-sized trees are interspersed along the watercourses – these are the typical gallery or riparian forests, made up of tucuns, jenipapos, tarumãs and timbós, among others.
Near the rivers and in places where the ground is constantly flooded, plants typical of freshwater swamps grow, such as arrowroot, taboos, piris and banana trees.
In Bonito, the bacuri or acuri stands out, a palm tree with many uses. The leaves are used to feed cattle and to cover houses. The fibres are used to make handicrafts.
A liqueur is made from the trunk, and jams are made from the pulp.
The symbol of the Pantanal’s flora, however, is the carandá, a palm tree up to 10 metres tall with an almost smooth trunk and fan-shaped leaves, used to build houses – its wood is very resistant to water ingress – and to make mats, baskets and fans.
In some areas they clump together to form carandazais: a common phenomenon in the region are parks (named after the concentration of trees of the same species).
In areas of dry, arid soil and at some higher altitudes, mandacarus, juazeiros, caraguatás and barrigudas grow, creating a surprising caatinga landscape.
See the following publications on the Pantanal
- Mammal and reptile watching in the Pantanal
- Fishing in the Pantanal – Best places, lures, methods and seasons
- Most common fish species in the Pantanal
- Birdwatching in the Mato Grosso Pantanal
- Most common bird species in the Mato Grosso Pantanal
- Flora of the Mato Grosso Pantanal
- Fauna of the Mato Grosso Pantanal
- Pantanal of Mato Grosso – Geography, climate, soil and rivers
- History of the Mato Grosso Pantanal – Discovery and economic development
- Southern Pantanal Region
- Northern Pantanal Region
- Why visit the Pantanal in Mato Grosso?
