Abstract: Hubei Province, located in central China, features a complex and diverse topography that provides heterogeneous habitats for rich flora. Lycophytes and ferns are important elements in biodiversity. However, they were not included in the Flora of Hubei (1976–1998). To comprehensively document the diversity and distribution of lycophytes and ferns in Hubei Province, we compiled a checklist integrating data from the Catalogue of Life China: 2024 Annual Checklist, the National Specimen Information Infrastructure (NSII), published books, and journal articles. Families and genera were classified based on the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I (PPG I) system. Our results identified 31 families, 99 genera, 570 species, 3 subspecies and 27 varieties of lycophytes and ferns in Hubei Province. Among these, lycophytes comprised 2 families, 8 genera, 38 species and 1 subspecies, while ferns comprised 29 families, 92 genera, 532 species, 2 subspecies and 27 varieties. In addition, this study confirmed that 42 species previously recorded in Hubei Province were not actually distributed there, and we questioned the authenticity of 37 species reported in the province. To improve the accuracy of plant documentation in Hubei Province, we recommend strengthening field investigations, and ensuring rigor and precision in specimen collection records. Our results provide a valuable dataset for future study on lycophytes and ferns in Hubei Province.

Key words: Hubei province, lycophytes and ferns, county distribution, biological catalogue