A floristic survey of pteridophytes was carried out in two forest areas of Minas Gerais, Brazil: Estação Biológica de Caratinga (EBC), and Parque Estadual do Rio Doce (PERD). We identified 102 species, 43 genera, and 18 families for EBC and 123 species, 43 genera, and 19 families at PERD. Seventy five species were common to both areas, 27 were found, exclusively in EBC, and 40, in PERD. Families with highest number of species, in EBC, were Pteridaceae (15 species), Thelypteridaceae (11), Tectariaceae (10), Polypodiaceae (8), Aspleniaceae and Dennstaedtiaceae (7 each), Cyatheaceae and Schizaeaceae (6 each); and in PERD Pteridaceae (24 species), Thelypteridaceae (17), Polypodiaceae (11), Tectariaceae (10), Aspleniaceae (9), Schizaeaceae (8), and Aspleniaceae (7), Cyatheaceae and Woodsiaceae (6 each). Most of the species in both areas are terrestrial. Most of the species presented a wide geographical distribution in Brazil, with only 25% restricted to Southeastern Brazil. We presented the list of taxa of the two studied areas, data about species habit, and the geographical distribution of some species reported for the first time in Minas Gerais state and discuss about richness of these species.
Keywords: Pteridophytes, Floristic, Rio Doce Basin, Minas Gerais
