Flora of North America species comparison

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Argyrochosma microphylla

Argyrochosma dealbata

small-leaf false cloak fern

powdery false cloak fern
Stem

scales brown.

scales brown.
Leaves

7–25 cm.

3–15 cm.
Petiole

brown, 0.75–1.5 mm diam.

chestnut brown, 0.50–0.75 mm diam.
Blade

deltate to ovate, 3–4-pinnate proximally, leathery, abaxially and adaxially glabrous;

rachis flattened or shallowly grooved adaxially.

deltate, 3–5-pinnate proximally, somewhat herbaceous, abaxially covered by whitish farina, adaxially glabrous or sparsely glandular;

rachis rounded to slightly flattened adaxially.
Ultimate segments

articulate, dark color of stalks stopping abruptly at segment bases;

segment margins recurved to revolute, often concealing sporangia;

veins obscure adaxially.

not articulate, dark color of stalks continuing into segment bases abaxially;

segment margins recurved, often partially concealing sporangia;

veins often visible adaxially.
Sporangia

submarginal, borne on distal 1/3 of secondary veins, containing 64 spores.

submarginal, borne on distal 1/3 of secondary veins, containing 64 spores.
Pinna

costae straight to somewhat flexuous, branches rarely arising from prominent angles.

costae straight or nearly so, branches not arising from prominent angles.
2n

= 54.

= 54.

Argyrochosma microphylla

Argyrochosma dealbata
Phenology Sporulating summer–fall. Sporulating summer–fall.
Habitat Rocky limestone hillsides and cliffs Calcareous cliffs and ledges
Elevation 300–2100 m (1000–6900 ft) 100–600 m (300–2000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
NM; TX; n Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; IL; KS; KY; MO; NE; OK; TX
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Argyrochosma microphylla is probably the most distinctive species of Argyrochosma in the flora. Chromosome studies by I. W. Knobloch et al. (1973) suggest that it may include diploid and tetraploid cytotypes.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

The distinctions between Argyrochosma dealbata and A. limitanea are subtle but apparently absolute. Although both occur in Texas, their ranges do not overlap. Despite the morphologic similarities, isozyme analyses indicate that A. dealbata, a diploid species, was not involved in the origin of polyploid A. limitanea.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 2. FNA vol. 2.
Parent taxa Pteridaceae > Argyrochosma Pteridaceae > Argyrochosma
Sibling taxa
A. dealbata, A. fendleri, A. incana, A. jonesii, A. limitanea
A. fendleri, A. incana, A. jonesii, A. limitanea, A. microphylla
Synonyms Pellaea microphylla, Cheilanthes parvifolia, Notholaena parvifolia Cheilanthes dealbata, Notholaena dealbata, Pellaea dealbata
Name authority (Mettenius ex Kuhn) Windham: Amer. Fern J. 77: 40. (1987) (Pursh) Windham: Amer. Fern J. 77: 40. (1987)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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