The spatial distribution of aquatic plants can be influenced by dispersal capacity, and local abiotic factors. In general, aquatic plants are widely distributed and have a large-scale ability to disperse. However, some groups have narrower tolerance and are more sensitive to local environmental variations. Thus, we investigated which factors explain the spatial distribution of growth forms in different seasonal pools in the Brazilian semi-arid region. We hypothesized that if dispersal limitation is absent and pools have similar abiotic conditions, all pools must have communities with the same growth form pattern that fit together in the water column. Conversely, if the abiotic factors among pools differ significantly, there will be a higher frequency of certain growth forms associated with the most striking local factors. We found no relationship between growth form composition in pools and geographic distance (rM = -0.004; P = 0.96), indicating high dispersal capacity. Nonetheless, the pool showed different growth forms proportions, indicating that different abiotic factors affect each local. Additionally, the variation explained by the abiotic factors was higher than the distance. Nitrate, ammonia, cation exchange capacity and redox potential were the main environmental variables related to the presence of growth forms. Helophytes and bottom-rooted emergent hydrophytes were positively associated with nitrate and redox potential, whereas bottom-rooted submerged hydrophytes were positively associated with ammonia. Unpredictably, free-floating emergent hydrophytes were more frequent in pools with high cation exchange capacity. This association may come from a nutrient flux integrated system between soil and water. Our results suggest that the effect of abiotic factors is stronger than dispersal limitation on the growth forms composition in Brazilian semi-arid pools, and the frequency of growth forms in each pool depends on the role most striking (or joint) of the local limnological and edaphic variables.