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slender lipfern
Scientific Name: Cheilanthes feei
Family: Pteridaceae
Category: Fern
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names: KY (Fee's lip fern), WA (Fee's lip fern)
Cheilanthes feei: Slender Lip Fern
Cheilanthes feei, commonly known as the Slender Lip Fern, is a delicate fern species with a wide distribution in western North America.
Considerations for Pets
- This plant consists of narrow fronds with bead-like segments on the leaflets.
- The rootstock is covered with brown scales lined with black.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Cheilanthes feei T. Moore
- Common Names: Slender Lip Fern, Slender Lipfern, Fee's Lipfern, Sante Fe Lip Fern
- Family: Pteridaceae (Maidenhair Fern Family)
- Genus: Cheilanthes Sw. (Lip Ferns, Lipfern)
- Rank: Species
- Synonyms: Myriopteris gracilis (Note: The provided text indicates that Cheilanthes feei T. Moore is "not an active name" and suggests consulting Myriopteris gracilis)
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to much of western North America, extending from British Columbia eastward to Arkansas.
- Grows on dry ledges and crevices, particularly in limestone.
- Found in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, and Salt Lake County.
- Prefers shaded locations.
- Often found growing in quartz crevices alongside species like Gambel's oak (Quercus gambelii) and Ericameria obovata.
Morphological Characteristics
- Perennial forb/herb (a non-woody plant that is not a grass).
- Forms clumps of narrow fronds, typically 2 to 8 inches long.
- Leaves are ovate-lanceolate in outline.
- Compound leaves with bead-like segments on the leaflets.
- Blades are less than 3 cm wide.
- Sori (spore-producing structures) are elongate and may be partially hidden under the inrolled margins of the blade segments.
- Smaller than usual Lip Fern, with no scales on the rachis, although cilia are present.
Quirky Facts
- The Slender Lip Fern is evergreen, allowing it to be found any time of the year.
- Fronds can reach up to 8 inches in length, but they are often shorter.
Additional Information
- The Kentucky Native Plant Society has published an article about the Slender Lip Fern in Kentucky (www.knps.org, info@knps.org).
- Discover Life offers a page about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Cheilanthes feei.
- Dave's Garden is a resource for gardening tips and ideas.