ABSTRACT To a better decision in relation to the choice of forages, it is important to know its bromatological and morphological characteristics, since this knowledge can lead to greater productivity and quality of dry mass forage. This work aimed to evaluate the morpho-physiological characteristics of forage plants, specifically Urochloa brizantha cv. Xaraés/MG-5; Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu; Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça; Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS/Piatã; Urochloa brizantha cv. Paiaguás. The experiment was carried out at the College of Agricultural and Technological Sciences, Dracena, São Paulo, Brazil, May 2015. Bromatological, physiological and morphological analyses of the leaves were performed. The cultivar Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu excelled in mineral matter (MM%); and Xaraés for dietary fiber in acid detergent (FDA%). The cultivar Urochloa brizantha cv. Xaraés/MG-5 was distinguished in the parameter thickness of the adaxial epidermis (TAdE), mesophyll thickness (MT); diameter of leaf phloem (LDP) and diameter of leaf xylem (LDX). The cultivar Urochloa brizantha cv. Paiaguás highlighted in the parameter thickness of the abaxial epidermis (TAbE). In general, the cultivar Urochloa brizantha cv. Xaraés/MG-5 presented the best results regarding the morphological characteristics of the studied forage plants.