Pellaea mucronata var. californica
Bird's foot fern
Photo: parent species Pellaea mucronata · (c) Tom Norton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Pteridaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Pellaea mucronata var. californica (Bird's foot fern) is a native California herb in the Pteridaceae family, recognized by overlapping pinnae and folded fertile segments.
Bird's foot fern is a California native perennial found in central and southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, southern Eastern Sierra, and desert mountains at elevations of 1,800 to 3,000 meters in rocky or dry areas. A distinctive fern with dark green to grayish-green fronds that grow 15 to 25 centimeters long and up to 4 centimeters wide. Growing with delicate, ascending pinnae that often overlap, creating a dense and intricate leaf structure. Its two-pinnate leaves feature fertile segments that characteristically appear folded in half with recurved margins that nearly meet on the underside. The fern forms compact clusters in rocky terrain, creating elegant, feather-like arrangements of fine leaflets.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Co-occurs with 4 species; distinguished by overlapping pinnae and folded fertile segments
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky or dry areas
Elevation: 1800-3000 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Tulare, Riverside, Los Angeles, Inyo, Mendocino, Mariposa, Fresno, Tuolumne, Nevada, Plumas, Tehama, Placer, Butte, Yuba, Ventura, Kern, San Diego, Shasta
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 var. californica native to California?
Yes. Pellaea mucronata var. californica is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Pellaea mucronata var. californica grow?
Pellaea mucronata var. californica occurs in San Bernardino, Tulare, Riverside, Los Angeles, Inyo, Mendocino, Mariposa, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of 1800-3000 m.
What plant family does Pellaea mucronata var. californica belong to?
Pellaea mucronata var. californica is in the Pteridaceae family, genus Pellaea.
What habitat does Pellaea mucronata var. californica grow in?
Pellaea mucronata var. californica grows in Rocky or dry areas.
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.