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.

long-creeping, 1–3 mm diam.;

scales uniformly brown or with poorly defined, dark, central stripe, linear-lanceolate, straight to slightly contorted, loosely appressed, usually persistent.

clustered, 7–50 cm;

vernation circinate.

clustered to somewhat scattered, 4–15 cm;

vernation noncircinate.

dark brown, rounded adaxially.

dark brown, grooved distally on adaxial surface.

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-pinnatifid at base, 1.5–5 cm wide;

rachis grooved adaxially, with scattered, lanceolate scales, not pubescent.

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

spatulate, not especially beadlike, the largest usually 2–3 mm, abaxially glabrous or with a few small scales near base, adaxially glabrous.

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 conspicuously larger than adjacent pair, inequilateral, basiscopic pinnules enlarged, appearing glabrous adaxially.

marginal, weakly differentiated, 0.05–0.25 mm wide.

marginal, weakly differentiated, 0.05–0.25 mm wide.

discontinuous, concentrated on small apical and lateral lobes.

discontinuous, confined to apical or lateral lobes.

containing 64 spores.

containing 64 spores.

brown adaxially for most of length;

abaxial scales absent.

green adaxially for most of length;

abaxial scales multiseriate, lanceolate, truncate or subcordate at base, without overlapping basal lobes, conspicuous, the largest 0.4–0.8 mm wide, loosely imbricate, not concealing ultimate segments, erose, not ciliate.

= 60.

= 60.