Cystopteris fragilis
brittle fern, fragile fern
scales tan to brown.
to approximately 40 cm long but usually much shorter.
dark at base; lighter colored distally;
base sparsely scaly.
lanceolate; widest near middle, tapered to an acute tip, tapered slightly to base.
with several pairs of lobed/ toothed pinnules.
usually abundant;
indusia ovate to lanceolate.
=168, 242.
Cystopteris fragilis
Cliffs and rocky sites. 50–3000 m. All ecoregions except Est. CA, ID, NV, WA; throughout North America; nearly worldwide. Native.
Plants occurring at low elevations west of the Cascades go dormant in early summer but may produce new leaves with fall rains and persist through the winter.
Duncan Thomas
- Local floras:
BC, 
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
