Biome
Plants of the Cerrado biome
A marked dry season over deep, acidic soils: in the Cerrado, guild design starts with water — plant at the onset of the rains, mulch generously, and pick species that cross the dry winter without irrigation. Many biome natives produce well in syntropic systems, alongside well-established suitable species.
204 species in the catalog · Refine this list in the catalog
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basil
Ocimum basilicum
Placenta I Low No biomass productionAromatic annual or short-lived perennial Lamiaceae. Pasini lists it in the high stratum of Tabela 3 (grown as a low-stratum species in beds). Attra...
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African basil
Ocimum gratissimum
Placenta II Medium No biomass productionShort-lived perennial Lamiaceae, cousin of common basil (distinct species). EcoAgri lists it in the medium stratum of the 'up to 3 years' bin. Arom...
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oregano
Origanum vulgare
Placenta I Ground cover No biomass productionPerennial Mediterranean herb (20–60 cm), small aromatic leaves. In southeastern and southern Brazilian syntropic systems used as permanent cover be...
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rice
Oryza sativa
Placenta I High Mulch biomassWorld's most-cultivated annual cereal. The Bosque de Niebla Guidebook (Consortium Design 2019) places rice as a typical Placenta I species in the h...
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sweet passion fruit
Passiflora alata
Placenta II Medium No biomass productionBrazilian native vine distinct from sour passionfruit (P. edulis). Pyriform orange-yellow fruit with sweet, fragrant flesh eaten fresh — fruitier, ...
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passion fruit
Passiflora edulis
Placenta II High No biomass productionBrazilian-native woody fruiting climber. Pasini lists it in the high stratum of Tabela 3 (grows over high-stratum structures). Fruits in ~9–12 mont...
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yellow poinciana
Peltophorum dubium
Secondary I High Fertilizer biomassPioneer heliophyte legume with fast growth. 10–20 m, occasionally 40 m at maturity. Occurs in Cerrado and Atlantic Forest, transition zones and rip...
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Napier grass
Pennisetum purpureum
Placenta II Medium Mulch biomassPerennial African grass introduced to Brazil in 1920. Forms vigorous clumps reaching 3–5 m and is one of the main biomass-producing species in synt...
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Barbados gooseberry
Pereskia aculeata
Placenta II Medium No biomass productionAn atypical cactus with broad, non-succulent leaves and a spiny scrambling, shrubby habit, native to the Americas and common in southeastern and no...
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geada avocado
Persea americana
Secondary II High No biomass productionEarly-ripening West Indian cultivar (Jan–Feb). Elongated pyriform fruit, light green, ~710 g, yellowish flesh with adherent seed. Floral type B — a...
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quintal avocado
Persea americana
Secondary II Emergent No biomass productionWest Indian Brazilian cultivar, mid-season ripening. Large fruit (>600 g, up to 1.2 kg), pyriform, with prized 'butter' flesh in the domestic marke...
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hass avocado
Persea americana
Secondary II High No biomass productionMexican-Guatemalan cultivar (~80% Mexican), floral type A. Small-to-medium fruit (180–300 g), pebbly skin that darkens at ripeness, creamy flesh wi...
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margarida avocado
Persea americana
Secondary II Emergent No biomass productionLate-ripening cultivar with very large fruit (700–1,500 g, up to 2 kg), pyriform, light yellow flesh of good quality. Tall tree (12–15 m). West-Ind...
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avocado
Persea americana
Secondary II High No biomass productionLong-lived perennial fruit tree. Pasini classifies it in the high stratum of Tabela 3 and explicitly cites it among Abundance-system species (high ...
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parsley
Petroselinum crispum
Placenta I Ground cover No biomass productionBiennial Apiaceae grown as an annual for its aromatic leaves. Pasini lists it in the low stratum of Tabela 3. Tolerates partial shade; consorts wel...
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lima bean
Phaseolus lunatus
Placenta I High Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerAnnual or short-lived perennial nitrogen-fixing legume, native to the Americas. EcoAgri lists it in the high stratum of the 'up to 6 months' bin. C...
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common bean
Phaseolus vulgaris
Placenta I Low Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixerAnnual nitrogen-fixing legume, dietary staple in Brazil. Pasini lists it in the medium stratum of Tabela 3. Planted in consortium with corn in the ...
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common purslane
Portulaca oleracea
Placenta I Ground cover Mulch biomassA prostrate annual succulent herb in the Portulacaceae, with a cosmopolitan distribution and very common as a volunteer in gardens and pavements. I...
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guapeva
Pouteria torta
Secondary II High Mulch biomassMedium-sized Cerrado and Atlantic Forest tree (8–15 m). Large yellow-orange fruit with sweet starchy flesh and shiny seeds — edible raw or in jams....
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embiruçu
Pseudobombax grandiflorum
Secondary II High Mulch biomassNative tree of the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, with spectacular brush-like white flowers. EcoAgri lists it in the high stratum of the 'up to 50 ye...
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strawberry guava
Psidium cattleyanum
Secondary I High No biomass productionSmall native Atlantic Forest fruit tree, listed by Pasini in the high stratum of Tabela 3. Small red or yellow fruit similar to a guava with intens...
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guava
Psidium guajava
Secondary I High No biomass productionNative tropical American fruit tree, common in Brazilian syntropic agroforestry systems. Pasini lists it in the high stratum of Tabela 3. Tolerates...
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radish
Raphanus sativus
Placenta I Ground cover No biomass productionUltra-short-cycle brassica (25–35 days). Pasini lists it in the medium stratum of Tabela 3 (grown as a low-stratum species). Excellent for rotating...
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fodder radish
Raphanus sativus var. oleiferus
Placenta I Low Fertilizer biomassSpecific Raphanus cultivar for green manure. Pasini lists it in the medium stratum of Tabela 3. Taproot breaks through compacted layers; sulfur- an...
❓ Frequently asked questions
What characterizes the Cerrado biome?
Tropical savanna of central Brazil — the most biodiverse savanna on Earth. Pronounced dry season (4–6 months), deep acidic soils, fire integrated into species dynamics. Cerrado species typically have deep roots, thick bark, and tolerance to fire and drought — valuable traits for systems in seasonal climates.
Which plants does the catalog suggest for the Cerrado biome?
The catalog holds 204 species, among them basil, African basil, oregano. Each profile shows stratum, succession stage, and the management data, with sources cited.