Polypodium californicum

California polypody

Family: Polypodiaceae · Type: perennial · Native

California polypody is a native fern found in central coastal California, southern coastal ranges, and southwestern California in shaded canyons, streambanks, north-facing slopes, roadcuts, cliffs, and coastal bluffs, often on granitic or volcanic rocks at elevations below 1,520 meters. Its summer-deciduous fronds range from 10 to 25 centimeters long, forming broad deltate to ovate blades with serrated segments and obtuse to acute tips. Growing with a rhizome 5 to 10 millimeters in diameter, the fern spreads with membranous to fleshy leaf blades that are often firm to the touch. Its fronds feature distinctive veins that are partially fused, typically connecting 10 to 50 percent of their length, with a midrib that may be hairy or nearly smooth. The fern produces round to ovate sporangia 1.5 to 3.5 millimeters long, sometimes with short, branched glandular hairs.

Habitat: Shaded canyons, streambanks, n-facing slopes, roadcuts, cliffs, coastal bluffs, rocks, often granitic or volcanic, humus, not on plants

Elevation: < 1520 m

Bioregions: CCo, SCoRO, SW

California counties: Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Placer, Tulare, San Francisco, Tuolumne, Sonoma, San Mateo, Los Angeles, Orange, Amador, Butte, Contra Costa, Fresno, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Kern, San Benito, Mariposa, Sutter, Plumas, Nevada, Siskiyou, Alameda, San Joaquin, El Dorado, Calaveras, Del Norte, Trinity

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