PTERIDACEAE

(Maidenhair fern Family)

Cheilanthes feei Moore

Slender lip fern

( Apogamous triploid)
This is the most widespread member of the genus in North America, distributed from Illinois to California, and from British Columbia to Mexico The fronds tend to be small, in rock crevices. This fern is only one of four Cheilanthes taxa in New Mexico without scales of any kind on the fronds. The adaxial surface is sparsely hairy, the rachis and abaxial surface densely so. Ch. feei is the only member of the genus in N.M. in subgenus Cheilanthes. It is one of only two members of the genus (with Ch. wrightii ) in N.M. with circinate vernation.








Georgetown Road, Pinos Altos Range, Grant County     17 September 2005