Polypodium hesperium
Western polypody
Family: Polypodiaceae · Type: perennial · Native
Western polypody is a California native fern found in the Klamath Ranges, northern and central Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, White and Inyo Mountains, and eastern desert mountains including the New York Mountains in rock crevices and talus slopes at elevations of 1,400 to 2,980 meters. Its large oblong to oblong-ovate fronds range from 2 to 25 centimeters long, with segments that are either entire or minutely serrate and typically have obtuse to acute tips. Growing with a rhizome 3 to 6 millimeters in diameter, this fern can have white-glaucous or plain rhizome scales that may show a slightly darker central area. Its leaf blades are membranous to firm, with free veins and a glabrous midrib on the upper surface. The sori are round to ovate, measuring 1 to 2.5 millimeters and containing up to 5 dark brown or red-black sporangia.
Habitat: rock crevices, talus slopes, under rock ledges
Elevation: 1400-2980 m
Bioregions: KR, n&c SNH, SnBr, SnJt, W&I, e DMtns (New York Mtns)
California counties: San Bernardino, Placer, Riverside, Fresno, Mono, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, El Dorado, Tuolumne, Trinity, Mariposa, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Ventura
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.