Brazil, with its vast territory and climatic diversity, harbors a rich biodiversity of plants, including ferns and lycophytes. However, these groups remain understudied in northeastern Brazil, particularly in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Here we provide a comprehensive floristic survey of ferns and lycophytes in the state, documenting 334 records of 64 species in 23 families. Fourteen species are reported for the first time from Rio Grande do Norte. We identified collection gaps and sampling biases and revealed ecological and distributional patterns. The analysis shows a significant concentration of sampling effort in the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga, strongly influenced by seasonality and water availability. Our results underscore the need for conservation efforts targeting fern and lycophyte species and identify critical areas for future research.
Nascimento et al. (Wed,) studied this question.