The nutritional status of two forest communities, one on a mesotrophic soil and the other on a dystrophic soil, in central Brazil was compared. The concentrations of nutrients in the leaves of seven phytosociologically important species unique to each area and five species common to both areas were determined four times during a year. Species unique to the dystrophic soil showed lower concentrations of P, K, Ca, and Mg, and higher concentrations of N and Mn than species unique to the mesotrophic soil. Species common to both soils showed lower concentrations of Ca, Mg, and Mn in the dystrophic soil. Aluminum and Mn toxi‐cities may not be factors responsible for the exclusion of some species from the strongly acid dystrophic soil. On the other hand, high levels of Ca and Mn may be responsible for the exclusion of some species from the mesotrophic soil.