Abstract:A checklist of pteridophytes from Mt. Yunkai Nature Reserve in western Guangdong, China is presented based on recent field surveys and specimens studies. The list comprises 185 species, of which ten are new records to Guangdong: Alsophila costularis, Sphaeropteris brunoniana, Pteris setulosacostulata, Acystopteris tenuisecta, Allantodia muricata, Asplenium tenuifolium, Nothoperanema shikokianum, Dryopteris polita, Elaphoglossum yunnanense, and Loxogramme assimilis. This flora primarily consists of Tropical & Subtropical Asia elements and Eastern Asia elements, either contains about 37% of the total species. There are not local endemics but 13 species endemic to China. Species in Dryopteridaceae, Polypodiaceae, Thelypteridaceae, Athyriaceae, and Aspleniaceae are most rich. Ecologically, 143 species were recorded in evergreen broad-leaved forest at altitude from 900 m to 1300 m, 15 species in man-made Cryptomeria fortunei forest or strongly disturbed broad-leaved forest at altitude below 800 m, and 23 species in mossy dwarf forest at altitude from 1400 to 1700 m. In addition, some rare and precious pteridophytes were found in this region, such as Phlegmariurus phlegmaria, P. austrosinicu, Sceptridium daucifolium, Gymnosphaera metteniana, Alsophila costularis, Sphaeropteris brunoniana, Antrophyum obovatum, Arachniodes nigrospinosa, Dryopteris liangkwangensis, Elaphoglossum yunnanense, Cheiropleuria bicuspis, Micropolypodium okuboi, and Prosaptia urceolaris.
