Pellaea mucronata
Bird's-foot fern
(c) Tom Norton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Pteridaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Pellaea mucronata (Bird's-foot fern) is a native California herb in the Pteridaceae family, recognized by parent species with unknown precise range.
Bird's-foot fern is a California native perennial found in rocky habitats of the state's mountainous regions. Producing delicate green to purplish fronds from spring to fall, this fern has distinctive narrow triangular to oblong blade structures with small linear segments ending in sharp points. Growing with short-creeping rhizomes and branched stems, the plant forms compact clusters with slender stems less than 2 millimeters wide. Its finely divided leaves feature segments 2 to 6 millimeters long, typically linear in shape with dark brown scale-like coverings along the rhizome. The fern's intricate leaf structure allows it to thrive in rocky, well-drained environments, creating dense, textured ground cover.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; parent species with unknown precise range
Habitat and range
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Yuba, San Diego, Tulare, Tehama, Placer, Riverside, Plumas, Santa Clara, Tuolumne, Sonoma, San Mateo, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Orange, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Alameda, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Mono, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Amador, Nevada, Butte, Sutter, El Dorado, Siskiyou, Marin, Solano, Sierra, Inyo, Trinity, Stanislaus, Yolo
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 mucronata native to California?
Yes. Pellaea mucronata is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Pellaea mucronata grow?
Pellaea mucronata occurs in San Luis Obispo, Yuba, San Diego, Tulare, Tehama, Placer, Riverside, Plumas and other counties.
What plant family does Pellaea mucronata belong to?
Pellaea mucronata is in the Pteridaceae family, genus Pellaea.
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.