TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California Print edition is available from the University of California Press

	The second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012) is available from the University of California Press
	See also the Jepson eFlora, which parallels the Second Edition

POLYPODIACEAE

POLYPODY FAMILY

Sherry Whitmore and Alan R. Smith

Perennial, on plants, rocks, in rock crevices, less often in soil, humus, or on dunes; rhizome short- to long-creeping, branched, glaucous to not, scaly
Leaves ± alike or of 2 kinds, fertile and sterile; petiole thin to thick, straw-colored or green to brown or black, generally jointed to persistent knob on rhizome; blade generally simple to 1-pinnate, membranous to fleshy or leathery; veins free to fused, generally forked
Sporangia: sori round to elongate, rarely linear, generally 1 per areole, in 1–several rows on each side of segment midrib; indusium 0; spores generally ± elliptic, ± smooth to coarse-tubercled or -ridged, scar linear
Genera in family: ± 46 genera, ± 650 species: worldwide, especially Old World tropical. Numbers of genera, species depend on treatment; many species cultivated.

POLYPODIUM

POLYPODY

Sherry Whitmore

Rhizome long-creeping; scales lanceolate, ± brownish, 1-colored or often with darker central area or midstripe
Leaves 0.2–10(20) dm, ± alike or fertile > sterile; petiole glabrous to scaly; blade 1-pinnate to generally deeply pinnately lobed, rarely simple and unlobed, glabrous to hairy, glandular or not, scales on lower surface midrib near base generally lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, generally ± brown; veins free to fused
Sporangia: sori in 1 row on each side of segment midrib, generally raised, sometimes including branched or unbranched, glandular hairs, sporangium-like structures, or shriveled sporangia; spores yellow
Species in genus: ± 160 species: generally New World, tropical, some temp, few boreal
Etymology: (Latin: many feet, from rhizome)
Reference: [Whitmore & Smith 1991 Madroño 38:233–248]
50% or more malformed spores indicates hybrid involving 2 or more species in CA.

Native

P. scouleri Hook. & Grev.

LEATHER-LEAF FERN

Rhizome 3–12 mm diam, conspicuously whitish glaucous, taste bland; scales with darker midstripe, often partly deciduous in age
Leaves evergreen 1–several seasons; blade 6–18(50) cm, deltate to oblong-ovate, thick, leathery, firm, brittle, upper sides of midribs glabrous, lower with deltate, dark brown to black-brown scales near base, segments crenate, margins like cartilage, tips generally round or round-obtuse, veins ± often fused
Sporangia: sori 2–5 mm, ovate to round, often ± merged, sometimes with short, branched, glandular hairs
Chromosomes: 2n=74
Ecology: Coast, generally in heavy fog-drip or salt-spray zones, on plants, dunes, rocky cliffs, bluffs, mtn ridges, granitic or volcanic rocks, mossy logs, or in soil
Elevation: 0–610 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Outer North Coast Ranges, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Baja California (Guadalupe Island)
Plants called P. scouleri from n ChI are fertile or sterile hybrids (2n=111,148) involving P. californicum
Horticultural information: DRN, SHD: 4, 5 &IRR: 6, 16, 17, 24.