Flora of North America species comparison

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 7 × 2 mm.

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;

fertile leaves erect, 5–25 cm;

sterile leaves spreading, 3–17 cm;

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

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.

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

scales bicolored or ± concolored, becoming sparse distally.

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

deltate to ovate-lanceolate, somewhat leathery, opaque;

sterile blades dimorphic, 2–3-pinnate or 3–4-pinnate, hydathodes only slightly sunken below leaf surface.

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 less dissected sterile leaves ovate-lanceolate, regularly dentate to incised with 8–16 teeth or lobes;

segments of more finely dissected sterile leaves pinnatifid with 4–8 small, obovate lobes, lobe apices acute;

segments of fertile leaves ascending, strongly differentiated, linear, 3–10 × 1–3 mm;

margins of fertile segments revolute, covering sporangia.

in sori that coalesce at maturity.

in sori that coalesce at maturity.

= 60.