Key to Pellaea

View taxon page for Pellaea

(For a list of species in Pellaea, use the above link.)

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Leaf 1-pinnate, pinnae unlobed or deeply 2(3)-lobed

2. Pinnae lance-ovate, deeply 2(3)-lobed; fracture lines at base of stipe many; 

rhizome 

1. In seed plants, stem that is often elongate, more or less horizontal, usually underground; distinguished from roots by bearing of leaves, leaf scars, axillary buds, etc. 2. In ferns, stem that is located underground, embedded in leaf litter, on rocks or in rock crevices, or on trees or tree branches, often scaly or hairy; distinguished from roots by bearing of fronds (roots rarely bear fronds), and their greater diameter.

 scales without dark mid-stripe ..... P. breweri

2' Pinnae rounded, unlobed; fracture lines at base of stipe 0; rhizome scales with dark mid-stripe ..... P. bridgesii

1' Leaf 2–4-pinnate, pinnae compound.

3. Leaf 2–4-pinnate

4. Segment without mucro, generally 6–15 mm, 3–10 mm wide; stipe ± light brown ..... P. andromedifolia

4' Segment with mucro generally 2–6(8) mm, 0.5–2(4) mm wide; stipe dark brown to ± black ..... P. mucronata var. mucronata

3' Leaf 2-pinnate

5. Segment 5–15 × longer than wide, > 

costa 

In ferns, primary axis of a pinna.

..... P. brachyptera

5' Segment 1–4 × longer than wide, < costa

6. Fertile segment generally appearing folded in half, 

recurved 

Gradually curved downward or backward.

 margins ± meeting abaxially; c&s SNH, TR, PR, SNE, DMtns (except Providence, New York mtns) ..... P. mucronata var. californica

6' Fertile segment not appearing folded in half, recurved margins not meeting abaxially; DMtns (Providence, New York mtns) ..... P. truncata

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) . Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ [accessed on ]

Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on .

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