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Photo is of parent taxon
Photo is of parent taxon

laurent's cliff fern, Laurentian cliff fern, Laurentian Mountain cliff fern, Laurentian woodsia

Pinnae

with longest hairs composed of 5–8 cells.

with longest hairs composed of 2–5 cells.

Spores

averaging 39–46 µm. 2n = 76.

averaging 50–57 µm. 2n = 152.

Scales

of stems and petiole bases mostly bicolored with broad, usually continuous, dark central stripe, scales narrowly lanceolate.

of stems and petiole bases (at least some) with clusters of dark, occluded cells near center forming narrow, usually discontinuous stripe, scales ovate-lanceolate.

Indusial

segments broad, not at all filamentous.

segments narrow, often filamentous distally.

Woodsia scopulina subsp. appalachiana

Woodsia scopulina subsp. laurentiana

Phenology Sporulating summer–fall. Sporulating summer–fall.
Habitat Shaded cracks and ledges on cliffs, mostly subacidic shale and sandstone Cliffs and rocky slopes, found on a variety of substrates including both granite and limestone
Elevation 300–1700 m (1000–5600 ft) 0–3000 m (0–9800 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AR; KY; NC; TN; VA; WV
from FNA
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NV; OR; SD; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC; ON; QC
Discussion

In addition to hybridizing with Woodsia scopulina subsp. scopulina (see comments above), subsp. laurentiana may have crossed with Woodsia oregana subsp. cathcartiana to form W. × maxonii R. M. Tryon. With very few collections and no biosystematic data available, however, the origin of this putative hybrid remains in doubt. Contrary to previous hypotheses (D. F. M. Brown 1964; D. B. Lellinger 1985), Great Lakes populations of W. scopulina were not involved in the origin of the local hybrid known as W. × abbeae (F. S. Wagner 1987).

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

Source FNA vol. 2. FNA vol. 2.
Parent taxa Dryopteridaceae > Woodsia > Woodsia scopulina Dryopteridaceae > Woodsia > Woodsia scopulina
Sibling taxa
W. scopulina subsp. laurentiana, W. scopulina subsp. scopulina
W. scopulina subsp. appalachiana, W. scopulina subsp. scopulina
Synonyms W. appalachiana, W. scopulina var. appalachiana
Name authority (T. M. C. Taylor) Windham: Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb. 19: 58. (1993) Windham: Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb. 19: 59. (1993)
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