Burke: Polypodium scouleri

	Polypodium scouleri
	coast, leathery polypody, Scouler's polypody
Habit	Perennials, usually lithophytes; stems stout, 3-12 mm in diameter, whitish pruinose, bland to somewhat sweet flavor; scales solid dark brown or with pale edges, lanceolate, margins finely toothed.
Leaves	Leaves monomorphic, to 85 cm long and 27 cm broad on stout petioles to 3 mm in diameter; blade ovate-lanceolate, pinnafitid, typically widest just above base, stiff and leathery; rachis sparsely scaly to glabrescent beneath and glabrous above; scales dark brown with pale edges, ovate-lanceolate, greater than 6 cells wide; segments oblong to linear, usually more than 12 mm broad, margins entire to finely scalloped; apex rounded or uncommonly broadly acute; midrib glabrous on upper surface; venation joining to usually form 1 row of areoles.
Spores	Sori in 2 rows tightly spaced against midrib, usually larger than 3 mm in diameter, circular when immature; spores usually less than 52 micrometers, surfaces wrinkled.

	Polypodium scouleri
Habitat	Cliffs and rocky outcroppings along the coast.
Distribution	Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south along the coast to California. [WildflowerSearch map] [BONAP county map]
Origin	Native
Conservation status	Not of concern
Sibling taxa	P. amorphum, P. glycyrrhiza, P. hesperium
Web links	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

Polypodium scouleri

coast, leathery polypody, Scouler's polypody

Habit

Perennials, usually lithophytes; stems stout, 3-12 mm in diameter, whitish pruinose, bland to somewhat sweet flavor; scales solid dark brown or with pale edges, lanceolate, margins finely toothed.

Leaves

Leaves monomorphic, to 85 cm long and 27 cm broad on stout petioles to 3 mm in diameter;

blade ovate-lanceolate, pinnafitid, typically widest just above base, stiff and leathery;

rachis sparsely scaly to glabrescent beneath and glabrous above;

scales dark brown with pale edges, ovate-lanceolate, greater than 6 cells wide;

segments oblong to linear, usually more than 12 mm broad, margins entire to finely scalloped;

apex rounded or uncommonly broadly acute;

midrib glabrous on upper surface;

venation joining to usually form 1 row of areoles.

Spores

Sori in 2 rows tightly spaced against midrib, usually larger than 3 mm in diameter, circular when immature; spores usually less than 52 micrometers, surfaces wrinkled.