Flora of North America species comparison

compact to short-creeping, usually 4–8 mm diam.;

scales often uniformly brown but at least some on each plant with thin, poorly defined, dark, central stripe, linear-lanceolate, straight to slightly contorted, loosely appressed, persistent.

short-creeping, usually 4–7 mm diam.;

scales uniformly brown or slightly darker at base, linear-lanceolate, straight to slightly contorted, loosely appressed, persistent.

clustered, 7–50 cm;

vernation circinate.

clustered, 10–50 cm;

vernation noncircinate.

dark brown, rounded adaxially.

black to dark brown, rounded adaxially.

linear-oblong to lanceolate, usually 2-pinnate-pinnatifid at base, 1.5–5 cm wide;

rachis rounded adaxially, lacking scales, with monomorphic pubescence.

ovate-deltate, 3-pinnate to 3-pinnate-pinnatifid at base, 4–15 cm wide;

rachis rounded adaxially, lacking scales, with dimorphic pubescence, abaxially sparsely hirsute, adaxially covered with tortuous, appressed hairs.

oblong to lanceolate, not beadlike, the largest 3–5 mm, abaxially and adaxially sparsely hirsute with long, segmented hairs.

narrowly elliptic to elongate-deltate, not beadlike, the largest 3–6 mm, abaxially and adaxially sparsely hirsute to glabrescent.

not articulate, dark color of stalk continuing into pinna base, basal pair slightly smaller than adjacent pair, ± equilateral, appearing sparsely hirsute adaxially.

not articulate, dark color of stalk continuing into pinna base, basal pair slightly larger than adjacent pair, somewhat inequilateral, proximal basiscopic pinnules conspicuously enlarged, appearing glabrous or sparsely pubescent adaxially.

marginal, weakly differentiated, 0.05–0.25 mm wide.

marginal, slightly differentiated, 0.05–0.25 mm wide.

discontinuous, concentrated on small apical and lateral lobes.

somewhat discontinuous, often concentrated on interrupted lateral lobes.

containing 64 spores.

containing 64 spores.

brown adaxially for most of length;

abaxial scales absent.

black adaxially for most of length;

abaxial scales absent.

= 60.

= 58.