Abstract: Wulingshan region is located at 27°28′ to 30°05′N and 107°02′ to 111°35′E,from 189.4 m to 2 370 m above sea level and covers an area of Ca.100 000 km2.In this paper,some investigations and studies on resources of medicinal ferns in Wulingshan region have been reported.The result shows: (1) The flora is rich,there are 214 species belonging to 41 families and 80 genera of medicinal ferns in the region,the dominated taxa are Polypodiaceae,Dryopteridaceae,Athyriaceae,Pteridaceae,Selaginellaceae and Selaginella,Pteris,Asplenium,Polystichum,Lepisorus,Pyrrosia,Dryopterisl;(2) The geographic elements are complicated and East Asia element takes the largest proportion;(3) The plants are distributed unevenly ,most of species at the belt of lower-middling altitude (≤1 500 m);(4) There are six medicinal types,namely Antibacterial type,Anti-parasite type,Digestive system ailment medicine type,Respiratory system ailment medicine type,Urinary system ailment medicine type and External wound medicine type.Based on estimation of capacity of available resource,there are 79 species can be used directly,100 species can be used restrainedly and 35 species must be cons
erved grimly.In view of actual situation on medicinal fern natural resources of Wulingshan region,we think that we must exploit as quickly as possible on one side,and on the other side,we must launch scientific research on the resources.

Key words: ferns, medicinal plant natural resources, exploitation, Wulingshan region