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Cascade parsely fern, Cascade parsley fern, Cascade rockbrake

American parsley fern, American rockbrake, parsley fern

Stems

decumbent to erect, much branched from base, stout, 4–8 mm diam. (including hardened, persistent leaf bases);

scales often bicolored, dense, broadly lanceolate to linear, to 6 × 2 mm.

decumbent to erect, much branched from base, stout, 10–20 mm diam. (including hardened, persistent leaf bases);

scales bicolored, dense, broadly lanceolate to linear, to 6 × 2 mm.

Leaves

strongly tufted, deciduous;

sterile leaves spreading, 3–20 cm;

fertile leaves erect, 5–25 cm;

petioles, costae, and costules glabrous.

densely tufted, green over winter, persistent after withering;

sterile leaves spreading, 3–17 cm;

fertile leaves erect, 5–25 cm;

hairs small, appressed, cylindric, scattered along grooves of petiole and along costae and costules of adaxial blade surface.

Petiole

green to straw-colored, dark brown only on proximal 1/8 or less, ca. 1 mm wide when dry, collapsing and strongly furrowed;

scales bicolored or ± concolored, becoming sparse distally.

green to straw-colored, dark brown on proximal 1/8 or less, 1–2 mm wide, firm and strawlike, not collapsed;

scales bicolored or ± concolored, becoming sparse distally.

Blade

deltate to ovate-lanceolate, all 2–3-pinnate, herbaceous, thin and translucent when dried, hydathodes superficial.

deltate to ovate-lanceolate, all 2–3-pinnate, somewhat leathery, opaque;

hydathodes sunken below leaf surface.

Segments

of sterile leaves oblong to fan-shaped, bases cuneate, distal 1/2–1/3 of each segment regularly dentate and often more deeply incised every 2d and 4th tooth;

segments of fertile leaves ascending to erect, strongly differentiated from those of sterile leaves, linear, 3–12 × 1–2 mm;

fertile segments revolute, covering sporangia.

of sterile leaves oblong to ovate-lanceolate, bases cuneate, distal 2/3–1/2 of segments crenate to dentate, often somewhat more deeply incised every 2d tooth;

segments of fertile leaves horizontal to ascending, strongly differentiated from those of sterile leaves, linear, 3–12 × 1–2 mm;

margins of fertile segments revolute, covering sporangia.

Sporangia

in sori that coalesce at maturity.

in sori that coalesce at maturity.

2n

= 60.

= 60.

Cryptogramma cascadensis

Cryptogramma acrostichoides

Habitat New growth produced in spring, spores maturing in late summer and autumn, leaves dying in autumn. Talus slopes and cliff crevices, often on igneous rocks, typically in relatively mesic subalpine habitats New growth produced in spring, spores maturing in summer, sterile leaves green over winter, senescing 2d spring. Noncalcareous cliff crevices, rock outcrops, and talus, often in relatively dry habitats, typically montane but occurring in lowland to alpine habitats
Elevation 900–3500 m (3000–11500 ft) 0–3700 m (0–12100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MI; MN; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; MB; NT; ON; SK; YT; reported from Mexico in Baja California; Asia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Populations of Cryptogramma cascadensis were previously identified as C. acrostichoides.

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

Cryptogramma acrostichoides has often been treated as a variety or subspecies of the strictly European Cryptogramma crispa (Linneaus) R. Brown, which has a chromosome number of 2n = 120.

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

Source FNA vol. 2. FNA vol. 2.
Parent taxa Pteridaceae > Cryptogramma Pteridaceae > Cryptogramma
Sibling taxa
C. acrostichoides, C. sitchensis, C. stelleri
C. cascadensis, C. sitchensis, C. stelleri
Synonyms C. crispa subsp. acrostichoides, C. crispa var. acrostichoides
Name authority E. R. Alverson: Amer. Fern J. 79: 95. (1989) R. Brown: in Franklin, Narr. Journey Polar Sea 754, 767. (1823)
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