Pellaea breweri
Brewer's cliff-brake
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Family: Pteridaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Pellaea breweri (Brewer's cliff-brake) is a native California herb in the Pteridaceae family, recognized by unique 1-pinnate blade with deeply lobed (not fully divided) segments.
Brewer's cliff-brake is a California native perennial fern found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California high country, Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, Great Basin, and Desert Mountains in north-facing granite rock crevices and slopes at elevations of 1,500 to 3,700 meters. With a short-creeping rhizome and clustered pale greenish fronds 8 to 20 centimeters long, this delicate fern grows with intricately branched stems covered in thread-like red-brown scales. Its distinctive leaves are 1-pinnate with oblong blades, featuring pinnae less than 2 centimeters long that are lance-ovate and deeply two-lobed. The fern's fronds have thin dark green rachises and emerge from narrow stipes with multiple fracture lines at the base, creating a delicate architectural structure. Its sporangia produce dark to light brown spores across 64 spore-producing sites.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 6 species; unique 1-pinnate blade with deeply lobed (not fully divided) segments
Habitat and range
Habitat: Generally n-facing granite rock crevices, slopes
Elevation: 1500-3700 m
California counties: Tuolumne, Tulare, Siskiyou, Fresno, Inyo, Mono, Nevada, San Bernardino, Alpine, Modoc, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Plumas, Madera, Lassen, Mariposa, Butte, Ventura
Outside California: to Washington, Idaho, Colorado
How to tell it apart
vs Myriopteris: Flip a leaflet - Pellaea is smooth underneath, Myriopteris feels fuzzy or scaly with hairs or scales.; vs Adiantum: Pellaea has thick, stiff leaflets; Adiantum leaflets are delicate and paper-thin.; vs Pentagramma: Pellaea spore cases cluster only at vein tips; Pentagramma has them scattered along the entire vein length.; vs Lonicera: Pellaea is a fern with separate leaflets; Lonicera is a woody vine or shrub with flowers.; vs Euphorbia: Pellaea is a fern; Euphorbia has milky sap and small flowers with colorful bracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pellaea breweri native to California?
Yes. Pellaea breweri is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Pellaea breweri grow?
Pellaea breweri occurs in Tuolumne, Tulare, Siskiyou, Fresno, Inyo, Mono, Nevada, San Bernardino and other counties, at elevations of 1500-3700 m.
What plant family does Pellaea breweri belong to?
Pellaea breweri is in the Pteridaceae family, genus Pellaea.
What habitat does Pellaea breweri grow in?
Pellaea breweri grows in Generally n-facing granite rock crevices, slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.