New records of lycophytes and ferns for the state of Puebla, Mexico

Background and Aims: There are few published floristic contributions about the lycophytes and ferns (pteridophytes) from Puebla, so it is considered very likely that the specific richness of this group in the state is greater than what has been documented currently. The goal of this paper is to document the new records of this plant group for the state, including information about their municipal and altitudinal distribution and the type of vegetation they inhabit. Methods: Between 2010 and 2018, several collection trips to different localities of the state of Puebla were made to collect specimens of lycophytes and ferns. The material was identified and deposited in the Herbarium of the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa (UAMIZ). The information obtained was compared with the list of species of Puebla reported in the literature, allowing recognition of the new records. Key results: The presence of 32 species and a hybrid of lycophytes and ferns was documented for the first time for Puebla, most of which belong to the families Pteridaceae, Dryopteridaceae and Aspleniaceae, growing in cloud forest and vegetation derived from tropical evergreen forest, between elevations of 250 and 2500 m. Conclusions: The new records increase the number of species of lycophytes and ferns reported for Puebla from 335 to 367 and highlight the need to continue with the exploration and field work in the state.