A study of the distribution, abundance, status, and phytogeography of the six taxa of Log Ferns {Dryopteris: Woodsiaceae) that are known to occur in Arkansas was conducted from 1981 -1986. Five of these ferns are generally quite rare in Arkansas. Except for D. marginalis, all exist in Arkansas as small, peripheral populations that are marginal, outlier populations to the west and south or west and north of their metropolis. Two sterile, triploid hybrid taxa (D. X australls and D. X leedsii each occur at only one locality, and there with but one of their parent taxa. The population of the putatively sterile hybrid D. Xaustralis has a large number of juvenile plants that were not asexually produced byrhizome expansion. The microhabitat of D. Xaustralls is suggested to favor gametophyte establishment. It is speculated that some level of pseudomeiotic spore production and/or apogamy may be involved in the production of numerous juvenile sporophytes
