Biome
Plants of the Atlantic Forest biome
A humid biome of varied terrain and enormous diversity — and home to much of Brazil's experience with syntropic agriculture. The list runs from fast pioneers to climax timber, which leaves room to design complete successions. Each species' relation to the biome is on its profile.
284 species in the catalog · Refine this list in the catalog
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spearmint
Mentha spicata
Placenta I Ground cover No biomass productionStrongly aromatic perennial Lamiaceae that spreads vigorously by stolons. Pasini lists it in the low stratum of Tabela 3. Tolerates partial shade; ...
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guaco
Mikania glomerata
Secondary I Medium Mulch biomassA perennial woody climber (liana) of the Asteraceae family, native to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern and southern Brazil, occurring along rive...
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maricá
Mimosa bimucronata
Placenta II Medium Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerA pioneer leguminous tree or small tree, spiny and much-branched, 4-8 m tall (occasionally to 15 m), native to eastern and southern Brazil. It fixe...
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sabia tree
Mimosa caesalpiniifolia
Secondary I Medium Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerNative legume of the Caatinga and northeastern Atlantic Forest. Medium tree (4–10 m), sparse spiny canopy. Nitrogen-fixer — central in degraded-soi...
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bracatinga
Mimosa scabrella
Secondary I High Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerPioneer legume native to southern Brazil and highland Atlantic Forest, listed by IPOEMA among anchor Brazilian species for SAFs (alongside cacao, y...
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jurema preta
Mimosa tenuiflora
Secondary I Medium Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerNative legume of the Caatinga and Atlantic Forest. Small-to-medium tree (4–8 m), fine leaves, fissured grey bark. Nitrogen-fixer, rapid recolonizer...
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holythorn
Monteverdia ilicifolia
Secondary I Medium No biomass productionAn evergreen shrub or small tree of the Celastraceae family, native to southern and southeastern Brazil, with leathery, spiny-margined holly-like l...
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noni
Morinda citrifolia
Secondary I Medium No biomass productionTropical small tree (3–6 m) introduced in Brazil. Large dark-green leaves, ovoid yellowish-white strong-smelling ripe fruits. Medicinal pulp — supp...
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moringa
Moringa oleifera
Secondary I High Fertilizer biomassMulti-purpose, extremely fast-growing Indo-African tree. The Bosque de Niebla Guidebook lists moringa among anchor species of the high stratum / Se...
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black mulberry
Morus nigra
Secondary I High Fertilizer biomassFast-growing fruit tree, tolerates drastic pruning well and coppices readily — ideal as a nurse plant in syntropic systems. Pasini lists it in the ...
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velvet bean
Mucuna pruriens
Placenta I Low Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerAnnual climbing legume that fixes nitrogen (~180–220 kg N/ha) and produces dense cover biomass. Suppresses weeds, decompacts the soil, and is one o...
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dwarf cavendish banana
Musa acuminata
Placenta II Medium Mulch biomassCavendish AAA dwarf cultivar (1.8–2.5 m). Dessert-banana market staple. Resistant to Panama disease race 1 but susceptible to Yellow Sigatoka. In s...
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sucrier banana
Musa acuminata
Placenta II High Mulch biomassAA diploid cultivar, small sweet fruits (8–12 kg per bunch), medium plant (3–4 m). Niche production, premium price. More common in coastal São Paul...
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giant cavendish banana
Musa acuminata
Placenta II High Mulch biomassCavendish AAA tall cultivar (3–4 m); the dominant Brazilian export variety. Heavier bunch than Nanica (30–40 kg).
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pacovan banana
Musa × paradisiaca
Placenta II High Mulch biomassAAB tall cultivar (5–6 m), large bunch (20–30 kg). Major Northeastern variety with better Yellow Sigatoka tolerance than Prata. Together with Prata...
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plantain
Musa × paradisiaca
Placenta II High Mulch biomassAAB Plantain subgroup — cooking banana, tall to emergent (5–7 m), bunch 15–25 kg with few large starchy fingers. Staple food across Northern and No...
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thap maeo banana
Musa × paradisiaca
Placenta II High Mulch biomassAAB cultivar of Thai origin recommended by Embrapa for regions with high Black/Yellow Sigatoka pressure. Tall (4–5 m), bunch 18–25 kg. Good fit for...
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silk banana
Musa × paradisiaca
Placenta II High Mulch biomassAAB Silk subgroup, medium-tall (3–4 m). Sweet flavor with distinctive aroma, premium market price. Highly susceptible to Panama disease (Fusarium o...
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pome banana
Musa × paradisiaca
Placenta II High Mulch biomassAAB Pome subgroup, tall (5–7 m), bunch 12–18 kg. Slightly tart flavor prized in the Brazilian domestic market. Before Prata-Anã it dominated the so...
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banana
Musa × paradisiaca
Placenta II High Mulch biomassBanana is a fast-growing pioneer species valued for cover biomass, edible fruit, and a structuring role in syntropic rows. Grows in any moist, well...
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dwarf pome banana
Musa × paradisiaca
Placenta II High Mulch biomassDwarf mutation of Prata (AAB), 2.5–3.5 m. Together with Prata and Pacovan accounts for ~60% of Brazilian banana area. Per Embrapa, a 'watershed' cu...
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urundeuva
Myracrodruon urundeuva
Climax HighTree with extremely dense, durable hardwood; once dominant in the Caatinga but now threatened by overexploitation. Occurs in Caatinga, Cerrado and ...
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guabiju
Myrcianthes pungens
Secondary II High Mulch biomassNative tree of the Pampa, southern Atlantic Forest, and southern Minas Gerais. 8–15 m, dense canopy. Dark-red to purple fruit, sweet delicately fla...
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watercress
Nasturtium officinale
Placenta I Ground cover No biomass productionAquatic or semi-aquatic leafy green of European origin, naturalized in Brazil. Pasini lists it in the low stratum of Tabela 3. Grows in moist soils...
❓ Frequently asked questions
What characterizes the Atlantic Forest biome?
Humid tropical forest that once covered Brazil's entire east coast. Less than 12% of original cover remains — restoring it is one of the central goals of Brazilian syntropic agriculture. High diversity of fruit, timber, and pioneer species adapted to a tropical-highland climate.
Which plants does the catalog suggest for the Atlantic Forest biome?
The catalog holds 284 species, among them spearmint, guaco, maricá. Each profile shows stratum, succession stage, and the management data, with sources cited.