Aspidotis californica

California lace fern

Family: Pteridaceae · Type: perennial · Native

California lace fern is a native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges, California Roaded Forests, Sierra Nevada, Sutter Buttes, central and southwestern California in rocky habitats on outcrops and crevices at elevations of 20 to 1,300 meters. This delicate fern features finely dissected fronds 10 to 40 centimeters long with thin, lacy leaf structures that are intricately 3 to 4 times pinnate. Growing with elegant, light green fronds that spread in feathery clusters, it displays pinnae with small lanceolate to triangular segments and sparse, subtle teeth. Its leaf structure is remarkably intricate, with each pinnate segment containing multiple fine, narrow leaflets that create a complex, translucent green lacework. The fern's sporangia are arranged in small, nearly square false indusia with occasional irregular edges, adding to its delicate architectural complexity.

Habitat: rock outcrops, crevices

Elevation: 20-1300 m

Bioregions: NCoR, CaRF, SN, GV (Sutter Buttes), CW, SW

California counties: San Diego, Santa Barbara, Riverside, Ventura, Tulare, Tuolumne, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Orange, Butte, Fresno, Kern, Lake, Madera, Marin, Mariposa, Monterey, San Bernardino, Amador, Nevada, Mendocino, Sonoma, Sutter, San Benito, El Dorado, Santa Cruz, Calaveras, Napa, Alameda, Sacramento, Sierra, Tehama, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, Solano, Plumas, Stanislaus

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.