Cheilanthes gracillima
Lace Lip-Fern

Family: Pteridaceae (Brake family)

Photo taken in Icicle Canyon, in cracks and thin soil on granite rocks, open, moist in spring then drying

Sori:

sori borne on vein ends just within the margins of the pinnules, sporangia on young leaves often entirely obscured by scales and recurved margin

Leaves:

blade 4 to 18 cm long, 1 to 2 cm wide; pinnae generally 9 to 20 offset pairs, segments rounded to oblong, ultimate pinnules 1 to 3 mm long; scales linear-lanceolate, ciliate at base; lower surface concave, with dense, pale, deeply dissected, long-ciliate scales, upper surface with similar scales or glabrous

Plant:

rhizome short creeping; leaves crowded

Habitat:

cliffs and crevices often on igneous rock; low mountains to near timberline

Distribution of species:

British Columbia to Montana, south to California

Distribution of genus:

more than 150 species: mostly in the Americas