Pellaea mucronata var. mucronata

Bird's foot fern

Family: Pteridaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Bird's foot fern is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Great Valley (Sutter Buttes), central western, southwestern, eastern Sierra Nevada, and desert mountain regions in rocky or dry areas at elevations of 20 to 2,400 meters. Its large, distinctive fronds spread 20 to 40 centimeters long and 5 to 15 centimeters wide, with a complex two to three-pinnate blade structure featuring pinnae that spread widely and do not overlap. Growing with an elegant, open growth habit, the fern's fronds ascend gracefully with fertile segments that remain flat and unfolded. Its intricate leaf structure includes pinnae that are generally spreading to widely ascending, creating a delicate, feather-like appearance. The fern's architectural form makes it a striking addition to rocky landscapes and dry habitats across California.

Habitat: Rocky or dry areas

Elevation: 20-2400 m

Bioregions: KR, NCoR, CaR, SN, GV (Sutter Buttes), CW, SW, SNE, DMoj (desert mtns and lower montane slopes, canyons)

California counties: San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Imperial, Butte, Inyo, Kern, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Napa, Monterey, Sacramento, Merced, Amador, Fresno, Nevada, Tehama, Yuba, Colusa, Glenn, Mendocino, Tulare, Alameda, Santa Cruz, Sutter, Mariposa, Tuolumne, Humboldt, Lake, Mono, Sonoma, Marin, Contra Costa, Stanislaus, Calaveras, El Dorado, San Benito, Madera, Placer, Shasta, Solano, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Yolo

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