Pellaea sp.
Cliff-brake, Cliff-Brake
(c) Gordon C. Snelling, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Gordon C. Snelling · licence
Family: Pteridaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Pellaea sp. (Cliff-brake) is a native California perennial in the Pteridaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
Yes. Pellaea sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Pellaea sp. belong to?
Pellaea sp. is in the Pteridaceae family, genus Pellaea.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Pellaea truncata — Spiny cliff-brake
- Pellaea andromedifolia — Coffee fern
- Pellaea brachyptera — Sierra cliff-brake
- Pellaea breweri — Brewer's cliff-brake
- Pellaea bridgesii — Bridges' cliff-brake
- Pellaea mucronata — Bird's-foot fern
- Pentagramma glanduloviscida — San diego silverback fern
- Pentagramma maxonii — Desert silverback fern
- Pentagramma pallida — Frosty silverback fern
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.