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PTERIDACEAE

BRAKE FAMILY

Alan R. Smith and Thomas Lemieux

Perennial, in soil or on or among rocks; rhizome creeping to erect, scaly
Leaves generally all ± alike (or of 2 kinds, fertile and sterile), generally < 50 cm, often < 25 cm; petiole generally thin, wiry, often dark, in transverse section with vascular strands generally 1–3, less often many in a circle; blade generally pinnate or ± palmate-pinnate (see Adiantum ), often 2 or more compound, lower surface often with glands, ± powdery exudate, hairs, or scales; segments round, oblong, fan-shaped, or otherwise, veins generally free
Sporangia in sori or not, marginal, submarginal, or along veins, sometimes covered by recurved, often modified segment margins (false indusia); true indusia 0; spores spheric, sides sometimes flat, scar with 3 radiating branches
Genera in family: ± 40 genera, 500 species: worldwide, especially dry areas. Definition of Cheilanthes and related genera problematic; traditional limits often untenable.

ARGYROCHOSMA

Plant in soil or rock crevices; rhizome short-creeping, scales linear-lanceolate, tan to ± reddish throughout
Leaf < 40 cm; hairs 0; scales 0; petiole cylindric, dark, glabrous or ± scaly at base; blade 2–5-pinnate, segments stalked, generally < 5 mm, round to oblong, blue- to gray-green, generally thick, veins obscure; axes, blades covered with whitish exudate on lower side or not
Sporangia along veins for outer 1/3–2/3 of segments; segment margin unmodified, often only slightly recurved; spores tan, coarsely ridged
Species in genus: ± 20 species: Am
Etymology: (Greek: silver ornament)
Considered closer to Pellaea than to Notholaena
Reference: [Windham 1987 Amer Fern J 77:37–41]
Horticultural information: DFCLT.

Native

A. limitanea (Maxon) Windham var. limitanea

CLOAK FERN


Leaf 10–25 cm; petiole dark brown to black; blade 3–5-pinnate, ovate to triangular, covered with whitish exudate on lower surface; basal 1° leaflets ± strongly ascending, stalks 5–10 mm; 2° leaflet stalk 3–6 mm; segments generally 1.5–3 mm
Sporangia 32-spored
Ecology: In crevices, especially bases of calcareous rocks
Elevation: 1800 m.
Bioregional distribution: e Desert Mountains (New York Mtns, San Bernardino Co.)
Distribution outside California: to Utah, New Mexico, nw Mexico
Synonyms: Cheilanthes l. (Maxon) Mickel var. l.; Notholaena l. Maxon
Produces spores asexually; common name, even more so than others, is applied to ferns in other groups.

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