Flora of North America species comparison

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Argyrochosma microphylla

Argyrochosma fendleri

small-leaf false cloak fern

Fendler's false cloak fern
Stem

scales brown.

scales brown.
Leaves

7–25 cm.

5–25 cm.
Petiole

brown, 0.75–1.5 mm diam.

dark brown, 0.75–1.5 mm diam.
Blade

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

rachis flattened or shallowly grooved adaxially.

deltate, 4–6-pinnate proximally, leathery to somewhat herbaceous, abaxially covered by whitish farina, adaxially glabrous or glandular;

rachis rounded 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 plane to recurved, often partially concealing sporangia;

veins usually obscure adaxially.
Sporangia

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

submarginal, borne on distal 1/4 of secondary veins, containing 64 spores.
Pinna

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

costae distinctly flexuous, branches arising from prominent angles.
2n

= 54.

= 54.

Argyrochosma microphylla

Argyrochosma fendleri
Phenology Sporulating summer–fall. Sporulating summer–fall.
Habitat Rocky limestone hillsides and cliffs Rocky slopes and cliffs, usually on granitic or volcanic substrates
Elevation 300–2100 m (1000–6900 ft) 1700–3000 m (5600–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
NM; TX; n Mexico
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; NM; WY; Mexico in Sonora
[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.)

Argyrochosma fendleri is occasionally confused with A. limitanea, which can have slightly flexuous rachises and pinna costae. All A. limitanea specimens with slightly flexuous rachises and costae have 32 spores per sporangium, whereas specimens of A. fendleri consistently have 64. This southern Rocky Mountain species is the only member of the genus that is found on acidic substrates such as granite.

(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. dealbata, A. incana, A. jonesii, A. limitanea, A. microphylla
Synonyms Pellaea microphylla, Cheilanthes parvifolia, Notholaena parvifolia Notholaena fendleri, Cheilanthes cancellata, Pellaea fendleri
Name authority (Mettenius ex Kuhn) Windham: Amer. Fern J. 77: 40. (1987) (Kunze) 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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