Cheilanthes covillei

Cheilanthes covillei
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Conservation status
Apparently Secure (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pteridophyta
Class:	Polypodiopsida
Order:	Polypodiales
Family:	Pteridaceae
Genus:	Cheilanthes
Species:	C. covillei
Binomial name
Cheilanthes covillei Maxon
Synonyms
Myriopteris covillei (Maxon) Á. Löve & D. Löve

Cheilanthes covillei, reclassified as Myriopteris covillei, is a species of lip fern known by the common name Coville's lip fern.

This plant is native to California, Baja California, Arizona, Oregon, and Utah. It grows in rocky crevices in the mountains and foothills.

In California it is found in Chaparral, Yellow pine forest, Pinyon-juniper woodland, and Joshua tree woodland habitats.

Description

This fern has green leaves which may be up to 4-pinnate, that is, made up of leaflets that subdivide 3 times, such that the leaflets are layered with overlapping rounded segments. The leaves have a bumpy, cobbled look.

The undersides of the leaves have scales which are lengthened outgrowths of the epidermis. Tucked under the scales are the sporangia, which make the spores.

External links

• Calflora Database: Myriopteris covillei (Coville's lip fern) — formerly Cheilanthes covillei.
• Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Myriopteris covillei — formerly Cheilanthes covillei.
• USDA Plants Profile for Cheilanthes covillei (Coville's lipfern)
• UC Photos gallery — Cheilanthes covillei