Kingdom Plantae Order Polypodiales Genus Cheilanthes Higher classification Cheilanthes | Division Pteridophyta Family Pteridaceae Scientific name Cheilanthes cooperae Rank Species | |
Similar Cheilanthes newberryi, Cheilanthes clevelandii, Cheilanthes, Cheilanthes covillei, Cheilanthes parryi | ||
Cheilanthes cooperae, reclassified as Myriopteris cooperae, is a species of lip fern known by the common name Mrs. Cooper's lip fern, or simply Cooper's lip fern.
It is endemic to California, where it is widespread but not very common. It can be found growing in crevices in rocky habitat, generally on limestone, in chaparral and other habitats.
Description
The fern's leaves are up to about 30 centimeters long and a few wide, and are made up of segments subdivided into pairs of many-lobed smaller segments. They are pale green in color with glandular hairs.
The smallest segments are oval in shape and have sori with tan-colored sporangia on their undersides.
References
Cheilanthes cooperae Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA