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Home , Argyrochosma, Argyrochosma limitanea, Aspidotis californica, Astrolepis, Bommeria, Doryopteris

9fard\ erndoundation

Editor Sue Olsen • VOLUME 6 NUMBER 3 SUMMER 1996 ig §SkMW%Wk* il

President's Message CALENDAR Sylvia Duryee San Diego Society Fern show and sale Relative? and of interest - possibly! Since some of us may have to deal with a similar scenario, I will tell what has happened in my garden over the last 10 Sale August 17 and 18 years. Our first tree died 10 years ago. It was a red cedar about 140 years 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. old - unknown cause. Next a large 40 year old hawthorn, then a flowering crab Show August 17 apple died. We began to suspect a problem and remembered the neighbor’s 12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. heating oil tank which had been emptied 9 years earlier. Consulting a number and August 18 of specialists and obtaining core samples we learned there was indeed 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. contamination. These first samples were not processed as well as they are today, however they did show oil product at about five feet. Eventually the tank Casa del Prado, was fully cleaned and filled with concrete slurry. New tests beside and to the Balboa Park, San Diego bottom of the tank were done showing no contamination. Over this time our loss of trees now reached five chamaecyparis of about 80 years, three mugho Los Angeles International pines, and 90% of a large viburnum. We ran more careful test wells to ten feet Fern Society and in 24 hours had 1 !/2 inch of oil on top of the water. Yes we proved our Fern and exotic show point at our cost! Since January of this year we have had a backhoe in the and sale space for 2 1/2 months, removed 21 1/2 tons of soil and we still are losing a Nothofagus dombeyi and 2/3 of a large pine. August 31 - September 2 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Yes we have a new start. At this time I hope to recreate my shade gardens and find some way to protect my many woodland and . At the Arboretum of Wish me luck and in time perhaps I won’t be looking squarely at my neighbor’s Los Angeles County house that for 25 years we could scarcely see.

Other news - The Fem Festival here was nearly a double success Northwest Horticulture Society over last year. The keynote speaker, Steve Hootman, gave a most interesting Fall plant sale talk at our annual meeting about his collecting trip to China last fall. The September 27 and 28 following persons were elected to the HFF board for the 1996-97 year: Mayde Anderson, Willanna Bradner, Jack Docter, Sylvia Duryee, Herman Entz, Ruth Center for Urban Horticulture Hofmann, Anne Holt, Steve Hootman, Otis Hyde, Marshall Majors, Sue Olsen, Seattle, WA Jan Pirzio-Biroli, John Putnam, Meredith Smith, and John van den Meerendonk. Your board is supporting the effort of Dr. Art Kruckeberg, Prof. Contents. Emeritus of Botany, University of Washington, to have the Perry Creek drainage in the Mt. Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest area declared a 30 Workshop Research Natural Area. (See letter elsewhere in this issue.) We should like 31 Hardy Fem Foundation to encourage our members to write letters to Mr. Dennis Bschor supporting 1996 Plant Distribution this proposal. 31 Perry Creek Appeal The A.I.B.S. meeting is scheduled here in August. We hope some HFF members will join in on the tours and attend the HFF reception at the 32 - 33 The Tongariro Crossing University of Washington Faculty Club at 7:30 on Monday, August 5. See you 34-37 Cheilanthoids there! 38 Cystopteris Bulbifera

Summer 1996 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER 29 PTERIDACEAE The workshops are geared to the layperson and partici¬ WORKSHOP University pants at the Pteridaceae of California, Berkeley workshop ranged from graduate students to fem Wendy Born, Sebastopol, CAand Liz hobbyists, professional Parsons, Kenwood, CA growers and the “truly knowl- edgeable'. (Hardy Fern Since the publication of the Jepson Foundation members made Manual of Higher Plants of California up 50% of the class. Ed.) (edited by James C. Hickman, University of California Press, 1993) the Friends of The workshop involved two Jepson Herbarium have offered a series days of intensive study and of weekend workshops to “demystify* the lab work using specimen new genera and the name changing that plants and herbarium accompanied the new, updated manual. sheets. Microscopes were In March 1996 Dr. Alan Smith, who con¬ available for our use. The tributed to the fem treatments in the Pteridaceae family includes Jepson Manual, taught a Pteridaceae Adiantum, , workshop. Dr. Smith’s time is usually , , spent in the herbarium or in the field and , and more. the workshop provided a unique opportu¬ It did seem that the most nity to learn from Dr. Smith. sought after plants to be

L~R. Robin Halley, Barbara Hoshizaki & Frank Damgaard look on as David Schwartz & Alan Smith examine a fern at the Berkeley Botanical Garden. Photo by Harry Olsen.

studied were the ‘xerics’. At last, a chance to actually “see* an Astrolepis or Argyrochosma with Dr. Smith patiently pointing out some key characteristics of each . The participants were asked to write a simple key....which at first sounded impossible! How¬ ever, this turned out to be a great learning experience (for example: serrate and seriate are two different terms) and one learned to keenly observe and de¬ scribe characteristics. The workshop was held in the new Robert Omduff classroom which is located in the U.C. Berkeley Botanical Garden, where many of the ferns are in cultivation. Martin Grantham, grower and garden associate gave us a tour of the fem propagation area, and we also toured the garden. (For an excellent and comprehensive description of the Berkeley Botanical Garden’s fern collection see 'Feming Around the World in 34 Acres’ by Iris Gaddis in the Summer 1994 Hardy Fem Foundation Newsletter. Ed.) To be surrounded by fem enthusiasts and openly and unabashedly talk on and on about sori patterns, types of waxy exudates and scale characteristics was an exhilarating experience. Hopefully, the Friends of the Jepson Herbarium will continue to offer fem work¬ shops. We’ll be there! (For more information about the Jepson Herbarium Cheilanthes Undheimerat the Berkeley Botanical Garden. Photo by Harry Olsen. Workshops call Susan D’Alcamo (510) 643-7008.)

30 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER Summer 1996 Hardy Fern Foundation Perry Creek Appeal 1996 Plant Distribution

The following plants are available to mem¬ 18 J line 1996 bers. They are $5.00 each plus shipping and you will be billed at the time of Mr. Dennis Bsckor, Forest Supervisor shipping. Orders should be received by Mt. Buker-Suoyuulmie NF Sept. 1 and will be shipped in mid-Sept. 21905 64tk Ave. West Send your order to Steve Hootman, c/o Mouutluke.Terrace, WA 98043 The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 3798, Federal Way, Re: Perry Creek RNA WA 98063-3798. DRYOPTERIS CELSA - Log fem; Dear Mr. Bsckor: native handsome fertile hybrid of D. goldiana and D. ludoviciana, 3-4', Some years ago I proposed, to tke tkenSnogaalmle National evergreen Zones 5 - 9. Forest (Verlot Ranger District) tkat tke undisturbed, portions off tke DRYOPTERIS CHAMPIONII - Perry Creek drainage (off tke Soatk Fork Stillagaamlsk River) be Champion’s wood fem, shiny Japa¬ consideredfor Research Natural Area statas. nese evergreen, 2-3', Zones 5 - 9. I understand, tkat tke Establishment ReportJor Perry Creek DRYOPTERIS CRASSIRHIZOMA - kas been written and tkat it awaits Ljour endorsement and an bold Japanese evergreen covered in Environmental Assessment. I write in support off moving tke Perry new growth with ornamental shaggy Creek RNA to successful completion. It is timely now since Ms. Sarak scales, 2-3', Zones 5 - 9. Greeneofthe RNA Committee is making specialejbrts to get pending DRYOPTERIS FIUX-MAS ‘BARNESII’ RNAs into tke system. - Very narrow and erect sub-evergreen Tkis proposed RNA would protect one off tke most unique fern to deciduous foliage with toothy diversity kabitats in tke PacificNortkwest- indeed, in all off Reg ion 6. margins, British cultivar, 3-4', Itkasbeenvisitedby internationally knownjernspecialists, has been Zones 4? 5 - 9. described in scientific literature (see enclosed reprint) and continues to DRYOPTERIS SACROSANCTA - New attract botanists and members off tke Waskington Native Plant Japanese introduction, frosty young Society to studq its unusual diversity. foliage, 2'+, reported last year as Zones 7 - 9 but appears to be Please consider tkis, tken, astrong endorsement of achieving much hardier. RNA statusJbr tke Perry Creekffern kabitat. DRYOPTERIS SUBLACERA - robust evergreen, dark green to 2', substantial Sincerely, foliage that combines well with delicate foliage, Zones 6?, 7 - 9. (signed) A. R. Kruckeberg PHYLLITIS SCOLOPENDRIUM - Proff. Emeritus off Botany and Hart’s tongue fem; simple (undivided) past president Waskington Native Plant Society fronds to 18", likes lime, evergreen, Zones 5-10 POLYSTICHUM POLYBLEPHARUM - The HFF board strongly supports the above proposal and we encour¬ Tassel fem, shiny evergreen from age members to write to the Forest Service In sup port of an RNA status Japan, outstanding in the garden or as Jbr Perry Creek. a house plant, 18", Zones 6-10. POLYSTICHUM TSUS-SIMENSE - Korean rock fem, small 12-18" ever¬ green with dark central markings, excellent in flower arrangements, Zones 6-10.

Summer 1996 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER 31 The Tongariro Crossing users. The crossing should be at¬ tempted only by the physically fit and Joan Eiger Gottlieb - Pittsburgh, PA only on a day that promises clear weather. There are NO amenities A summer month in New Zealand (Dec. between huts (6.25 miles; 10 km) so 27,1995 - Jan. 23,1996) was full of memo¬ lots of water and nutritious foods are a rable experiences, including a helicopter must. We tightened the laces on our lift onto the pond-pocked scrub of the Nikes and checked our “gear." Sunhat, Borland Saddle, a white-knuckle, 4-wheel sunscreen, sunglasses and long cot¬ drive safari over the “top-of-the-worid" ton pants and shirts for this high alti¬ Old Man Range, an overnight voyage on tude, ozone-hole proximate area! A Milford Fiord surrounded by vertical rock day pack stuffed with extra layers of walls and hanging glacial valleys and, on clothing and rain gear! All set, we our last day, the serendipitous find of a started across a flat, harsh landscape rare, primitive psilophyte - Tmesipteris of volcanic debris where tough, alpine tannensis - in a private garden near scab and cushion plants (Raoulia, Dunedin. And that’s just a small sampling Donatia, Epilobium et al.) provided Central \ of our adventures on a tour of the South ^ . Crater y occasional, colorful relief to the straw- Island following the Southern Alpines ‘96 pale grasses and charcoal gray ground. Conference in Christchurch. Stay tuned Lichens and dark mosses were colo¬ for details in a future article. Si'*? jr * ~ * nizing the pumice-textured boulders and the whole scene had a surreal, But, if forced to choose the most unfor¬ rvl-... Star Trek feeling. The trail, marked gettable and exhilerating adventure of with evenly-spaced poles, soon all, it would, without hesita-tion, be the Mt Ngauruhoe 2term rj reached the foot of Mt. Ngauruhoe, North Island’sTongariro Crossing (T.C.) P'*’’ / r' Pukekaiktore the source of the relatively new lava, which we did on a pre-conference tour of rocks and ash strewn over the area we our own. The T.C. is a 9.3 mile (15 km) had just traversed. Youngest of the tramp (“kiwi'' for hike) that rises from the park’s peaks, Ngauruhoe had its ir¬ lava-layered western end of Tongariro j regular summit reshaped in a series of National Park to a moonscape saddle of I to WhakapaM^/illao»^ violent eruptions in the 1950’s. volcanic craters between Tongariro The Tongariro Crossing (6437; 1968m) and Ngauruhoe (7493’; Here began the steady climb to Soda 2291m) Mountains and then makes a Springs, a pleasant mountain stream and right angle turn to the north through tus¬ waterfall. Giardia and other nasty para¬ To do the Tongariro Crossing you must sock scrub, manuka bush and lowland sites are now common in New Zealand arrange to be dropped off and picked up forest. It is deservedly described as “the water, so no surface source is safe to since it is a one-way track (trail.) Major world’s finest one -day walk.’ Tongariro drink, no matter how clean and tempting New Zealand towns have excellent Visi¬ National Park, New Zealand’s first (4th in it looks. The moist rocks along this tors’ Centers and the one in Turangi, a the world,) was created in 1887 with an section of the trail shelter Parahebe lyallii few kilometers northeast of the park, has initial gift of Maori tribal land. Subse¬ (with its candy-cane striped flowers,) relevant trail maps and an expert staff to quent acquisitions now make it one of the Ranunculus insignis (the glossy-yellow, arrange trailhead transport. Or, stay largest national parks in the world, en¬ Lobe-Leaf Buttercup) and perky, white- inside the park at the elegant Chateau compassing 188,000 acres (76,000 hect¬ flowered Ourisia macrocarpa(one of New Hotel or the more modest Skotel (Skiers ares) in the center of New Zealand’s Zealand’s appealing Scrophs.) In a drier Motel) at Whakapapa Village (love those North Island, just below Lake Taupo. Mt. area above the falls there was Gaultheria Maori names!) The Village has an Infor¬ Ruapehu (9149’; 2797m) at the south antipoda (a heath,) Anistome aromatica mation and Arrangements Center. end is the park’s tallest, although its (Mountain Carrot) and Brachyglottis spectacular eruption on October 7, 1995 Our friendly van driver dropped us off at bidwillii, a beautiful, succulent-leaved scaled back its lofty summit somewhat. It the end of the Mangatepopo Road at Compositae shrub. The ground-hugging was still sputtering sporadically when we 8:30 A.M. and we thought we detected a Podocarpus nivalis was shedding pale were there the last day of December and skeptical look as he pointed to the trail gold-colored “dust” from its abundant all three of the major mountains in the and then glanced back at us. The pollen cones, blanketing the seed cone park are active volcanoes. Mangatepopo Hut lay directly before us - plants splayed out nearby - very reminis¬ one of a series of large, well-maintained cent of Northern Hemisphere arctic wil¬ shelters serving New Zealand’s track lows.

32 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER Summer 1996 Itwastimeto con¬ thecraterfloorwith itscracked patches of A side trail to Ketetahi Springs was well- centrate on our black magma burping puffs of sulfurous worth the short detour, for this is an footing; the vol¬ smoke. A constant, butwell-spaced trickle active, exciting thermal field occurring in canic ash was of hikers joined us as we started up and a mountain gash. The whole hill appears getting deeper as out the far end of the bowl. Suddenly our to be belching smoke and brimstone and the trail grew eyes were drawn to the ocher-hued, the acrid, sulfur odor can be quite over¬ steeper. Slipping steaming walls of Red Crater, an active whelming downwind - all part of the am¬ a half step back magma region where molten rock extru¬ biance, we said. Trekkers can shed for each couple sions harden like ornamental pottery - shoes and socks to soak tired feet in the of steps up, it was artful dikes from “Mother Earth." somewhat cooled water down stream; but, 45 minutes of with 2 1/2 hours still to go, rest was not on Finally, we turned our eyes and camera slow and ex¬ our schedule. lenses away from these mesmerizing hausting plod¬ rocks and toward their next reward - the Picking up the main trail once more, we ding to the saddle brillliant green of three Emerald Lakes at plunged back into tussock scrub and area of South the edge of the Central Crater, just below then a stretch of dense manuka Crater. We paused at its crest to eat our our unsteady feet (we were once more (Leptospemnum scoparium) bush before lunch, watch restless clouds alternately sinking into unstable slopesof loose ash.) reaching the cool shade of mixed forest hide and expose the conical crown of Sliding more than walking, we descended along a branch of the Mangatipua Stream. Ngauruhoe on our right and catch pan¬ to these remarkable watery jewels - their This was the most beautiful lowland rain oramic glimpses of western New Zealand color attributable to “mineral flour" - a fine forest we saw on the North Island, with on our left. On really clear days it is silt leached from adjoining thermal areas. towering podocarp (Podocarpus totara reportedly possible to see Mt. Taranaki Deceptively calm and beckoning, these (Mt. Egmont) on the Tasman coast. water-filled explosion craters are hot and Our watches read 11:30 A.M. and a well- quite corrosive. From the trail we got placed sign warned that it was still 3 1/2 several eye-catching viewsofthe Rangipo hours to Ketetahi Hut. Reluctantly, we - New Zealand’s only desert, on the dry, left our lofty perch to push onward and eastern flanks of the mountains. downward directly into the bowels of South Crossing Central Crater and glimpsing Crater, a barren expanse of ancient vol- North Crater’s hanging ice shelves on our canism. Except for a lack of spacesuit left, we soon saw the circular outline of garb we could have easily convinced Blue Lake in the deepest part of the bowl. ourselves that we had stepped onto the It is, in fact, an old volcanic vent. From moon. The flanks of Mts. Tongariro and this point the descent from the crater field Ngauruhoe rising on our sides gave a was via a long series of switchbacks starkly isolated feeling to our walk across meandering through tussock-grass scrub to Ketetahi Hut. It was reassur¬ ing to see plants reappear after the lifelessness of the craters. The endemic Mountain Daisies (Celmisia spp.,) with their large, white Composite blooms were et al.) and southern beech (Nothofagus particularly welcoming. And, menziesii and N. solandn) trees, their along sheltered seeps, Polysti- layered branches draped with epiphytic chum vestitutm, Sticherus lichens, mosses, orchids, Asplenium, cunninghamii and Lycopodium Grammitis, Hymenophyllum and more. scariosum rep resented the pteri- An understory of vines and evergreen, dophyte flora. The hut, with its smaller trees, including lots of tree ferns spotless toilets was another (New Zealand has only 6 species of welcome sight and resident re¬ deciduous woody plants,) formed a var¬ search and maintenance staff¬ ied sub-canopy. And, best of all, the ers answered our many ques¬ forest floor was almost solidly carpeted tions most patiently. Rainwater collected off the roof of the hut is supposedly safe to drink. continued on page 39

Summer 1996 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER 33

Cheilanthoids genus in the late 1960s , fell out of use in most of the wax-like substance is the 1980s, and is revitalized as a sepa¬ usually found on the underside of the Robin Halley, Newsletter Editor & rate genus in the recent Flora of North fronds. Good examples of this are Webmaster - San Diego Fern Society America (Volume 2, p. 170). and Pentagramma triangularis. What are cheilanthoids ? When I started The cheilanthoid was further studying dry-land ferns I kept reading the clarified by the work of George • Some cheilanthoids have developed term and hearing people talk about it, but Yatskievych, David Benham, Michael finely dissected or narrow pinnules. it was never clear what cheilanthoids Windham, and others. They brought the This reduction in the leaf surface were and why they were called that. more recently-developed chemical and may reduce water loss. Examples microscopic procedures to bear on the are most of the Pellaeas, problem. As a result of this research, the densa, and Cheilanthes viscida. genera of Argyrochosma and Astrolepis Introduction • Most of the cheilanthoid ferns de¬ were separated from , velop unusually long roots. This I started asking the experts and found Cheilanthes, and Notholaena; and the allows them to go deep for water, but that even they found this a difficult ques¬ genus Pentagramma was differentiated even more it allows them to send tion. No one has a formal definition of from Pityrogramma. their roots far under rocks where it is cheilanthoid. The closest I get is an This article discusses the adaptations cooler and often moister. explanation in the introduction to the and habitats of the xerophytic Pteridaceae in the Flora of North America, • Cheilanthoids generally show rapid cheilanthoids. That discussion is fol¬ Volume 2, Pteridophytes and Gymno- growth and early sexual maturity. lowed by a more specific discussion of sperms (1993, p. 122), where Michael Some species develop viable the North American genera assigned to Windham explains that the Pteridaceae as early as two months after germi¬ this group and then by cultivation sug¬ have evolved into three major evolution¬ nation. The rapid growth enables gestions. ary lines (the adiantoids, the pteroids, cheilanthoids to take advantage of and the cheilanthoids). what can be a very short rainy sea¬ son. For example, for the many The general category of cheilanthoids Adaptations species which live in the deserts, mostly includes ferns that grow in ex¬ The cheilanthoid ferns have developed a such as Cheilanthes covillei or posed or dry places. Thus, the large set of adaptations which enable Pellaea ternifolia, the entire rainy cheilanthoids are often also referred to them to grow in dry places. None of the season may only last a few weeks. as xerophytes. That Greek word xero- plants has all the adaptations, but most phyte breaks down to xeros, which • Cheilanthoid remain viable have several. means dry, and phyton , which means over long dry periods. Viable spores plant. Not surprisingly, in North America • These plants are characterized by were taken from one herbarium the genera usually described as belong¬ thickened, leathery epidermis. This specimen after more than two years. ing to this loosely-defined group belong protectsthem from drying out. Plants Spores kept in an anhydrous sodium mostly to the tribe Cheilanthes and in¬ which show this characteristic in¬ chloride environment for 16 months clude: Argyrochosma, Aspidotis, clude Astrolepis sinuata and were still viable. Astrolepis, , Cheilanthes, Cheilanthes newberryi. • Cheilanthoids tend to curl out rather , , Mildella, • They generally also have hairs, than in. This means that the spore¬ Notholaena, Pellaea, Pentagramma, and scales, and/or a wax-like substance bearing surface is more exposed, Trachypteris. on the fronds, stipes, and . facilitating wind-bome scattering of Taxonomically there has been much con¬ The hairs and scales control the the spore. fusion about this group. Recently, the local humidity by producing still-air • Cheilanthoids respond to dry condi¬ major area of contention seems to have zones near the plant. These work tions by first increasing transpiration been between Cheilanthes, Notholaena, much I ike the robes worn by Arabs in (raising humidity, especially in con¬ and Pellaea. As the fem knowledge base the desert to keep the transpired junction with the abundance of hairs) has changed, some ferns have been water near the plant rather than al¬ and then, as the dry conditions per¬ placed in one group and then another. lowing it to immediately evaporate. sist, reduce transpiration to marshal has been Ferns that are good examples of this their water reserves. Notholaena, Pellaea, and Cheilanthes. characteristic include Cheilanthes Cheilanthes bonariensis was placed into covillei and C. parryi. The wax-like • As an additional aspect of their con¬ Notholaena in the 1950s and then back substances may work to reflect sun¬ trolled dehydration, cheilanthoids can to Cheilanthes in the 1980s. The genus light and keep the plant’s tempera¬ 'dry up without injuring the cell tis¬ Aspidotis was recognized as a different ture down. This is still conjecture as sues and then with a well-timed sup-

34 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER Summer 1996 ply of water can partially or com¬ Habitat margin of the leaf segment (pinnule). pletely recover. As a test of this, find Those species without the false indusium Most of these fern live close to rocks. a dried-up cheilanthoid frond and have three-pinnate laminae with very Indeed, a large number of the species soak it in water overnight. The frond small bead-like segments (e.g. typically live pressed (appressed) right will often completely uncurl. There is Cheilanthes covillei). These plants have up against the rocks. There are several also a suggestion that these plants a base chromosome count of 30 pairs advantages to this growth habit. also have a non-drying substance in (x=30, except x=29 in the Cheilanthes the cells which aids in reducing de¬ The first, obvious advantage is shade. alabamensis complex). hydration. The rock will shade the plant during some part of the day. Less obvious is that since • One of the most important adapta¬ Notholaena (Cloak Fern) the rock changes temperature slowly tions ischeilanthoids’ ability to repro¬ during the day, the temperature close to This genus includes about 75 species, duce asexual ly. This ability is called the rock will also change temperature found only in the western hemisphere apogamy, and the importance is that more slowly than away from the rock. from the western U.S. to Central and it enables sporophytes to develop in This means that plants close to the rock . The typical plant habitat the absence of water required dur¬ suffer less stress from rapid temperature is arid and rocky. ing sexual reproduction enabling the changes. Other advantages are: sperm to “swim” to the ova. Here is The plants are called cloak ferns be¬ a brief description of how apogamy • cheilanthoid roots (remember, they cause the blade margin is not turned works: tend to grow long roots) can grow back (reflexed). Some resemble way under the rocks where they will Cheilanthes and some resemble Pellaea. 1. During the fourth division in mi¬ remain relatively cool Many have been recently placed into tosis (when the chromosomes Astrolepis or Cheilanthes. The species usually split), the chromosomes • the rock channels dew and rain to native to the U.S. are less divided. The in the cells do not split, so the the ground near the rock to provide plants are typically small, monomorphic, cells end up with four sets of a relatively moist (mesid) area and have stipes as long or longer than the chromosomes (tetraploid) in¬ The cheilanthoids which do not live close mosthighly-dividedlaminae. Theseplants stead of two. to rocks typically grow in natural drainage have a base chromosome count of 30 2. At meiosis, when the cell chro¬ or seepage. One often finds these plants pairs (x=30). mosomes normally unpair, the growing on steep hillsides where the Some species have a white, cream, or cells split but end up with two set draining water stays close to the surface. yellow wax-like covering (farinose exu¬ of chromosomes (diploid) in¬ date) and sometimes also hairs or scales stead of one (monoploid). on the abaxial surface of the laminae. The North American 3. Prothallia developing from the Other species have only hairs and/or Cheilanthoid Genera unreduced cells can develop scales or neither hairs nor scales (gla¬ sporelings which are identical to This section covers most of the brous) on the abaxial surface. The the parent without fertilization. cheilanthoid genera found in North Notholaena com monly fold th ei r seg ments To further complicate things, America. It conforms to the definitions upward to expose the protective and these prothallia can develop vi¬ provided in the Flora of North America. reflective farinose covering on the abaxial able spore which can fertilize surface. eggs on normal prothallia. This Cheilanthes (Lip Fern) results in plants with triploid chro¬ Astrolepis (Star-Scaled Cloak Fern) mosomes and, continuing the There are about 125 species of The members of this genus were previ¬ sequence, even higher ploidy CheZ/anfriesworldwide. These are mostly ously known as the Notholaena sinuata counts (e.g., tetraploid). found in arid places from the United States to Peru. The plants are small- to complex. Now they are recognized as a Cheilanthoids also take advantage of a medium-sized with the stem (stipe) about complex of hybrids with many triploid and less-understood form of asexual repro¬ equal in length to the blade (lamina). tetraploid membersof the complex. Three duction calledapospory, where new plants Most species have curly hairs and/or species were originally known (A. arise from prothallia which develop on scales on the back (abaxial) side of the . sinuata <, A. integerrima, and A. the fronds. laminae. A few species have only hairs. cochisensis), but others are being identi¬ fied and named (A. beitelii and A. All fronds are fertile (monomorphic). windhamii). Michael Windham predicts Cheilanthes typically have a false indu- sium with the sporangia following the Cheilanthoides continued on page 36

Summer 1996 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER 35 that, given further research, many other Aspidotis (Lace Fem) They have dark wiry stipes, and the lami¬ species may be found. nae are pinnately organized or pentago¬ These plants are small and short-creep¬ nal. The lam inae have no false indusium. Most of the characteristics of Notholaena ing. The leaves are monomorphic to The spore are spread over the abaxial apply. However, all Astrolepis are once somewhat dimorphic. The leaf blade is surface and are not confined to or near pinnate and the sporangiafollowthe veins ovate-triangular, deltate, or triangular; 3- the margin. The fronds are not hirsute or rather than the edge of the frond. The 4 times pinnate; without hairs (glabrous) scaly. Astrolepis have a base chromosome adaxially, lustrous abaxially. Three spe¬ count of 29 pairs (x=29), as opposed to cies are recognized in North America: The laminae are usually covered with a the Notholaena with 30 pairs (x=30). Aspidotis californica, A. densa, and the white or yellow exudate, especially on the fertile hybrid ofA califomicaaudA. densa, abaxial surface. Although referred to as A. carlotta-halliae. The base chromo¬ waxy, the exudate is neither wax nor Pellaea (Cliff-Brake Fern) some count is x=30. farina. There are about 80 Pellaea species, with The range is restricted to the western These plants grow almost exclusively in a worldwide distribution. Their habitat is U.S. Habit is terrestrial, often at the the United States, especially California. also arid tropical to sub-tropical regions. bases of boulders or in rock crevices, in Currently there are two recognized spe¬ Some look like miniature Pteris (Brake dry to moist, montane areas, woodlands, cies, Pentagramma pallida and Fem) and tend to grow on cliffs, which or . Pentagramma triangularis. Penta¬ accounts for the name Cliff-Brake Fem. gramma triangularis is further divided The Pellaea are distinguished from Bommeria into the sub-species P. t. subsp. Notholaena because the lateral halves of triangularis, P. t. subsp. maxonii, P. t. These plants are small, prostrate, and the pinnae, pinnules, or segments fold subsp. semipallida, and P. t. subsp. long-creeping. The leaves are mono¬ down rather than up. The segments are viscosa. However, according to experts morphic and scattered along the creep¬ ovate to elliptic, and never beadlike as in on the Pteridaceae, there is still much ing . The blade is pentagonal Cheilanthes. The Pellaea are usually more study to be done to sort out the and is divided into three segments, deeply monomorphic, small- to medium-sized relationships in this genus. Recent work pinnate-pinnatifid. The leaves have scales with short-creeping or many-headed suggests that some or all of the subspe¬ on the lower surface (abaxially). There (multicipital) rhizomes bearing tufts of cies could be raised to species classifica¬ are no false indusia, and the sporangia fronds. The sporangia grow along the tion. follow the veins. The only species occur¬ margin. There is no indusium, but the ring north of Mexico is Bommeria hispida. sporangia are protected by the underrolled The base chromosome count is x=30. edge (lateral margin) of the pinnae, pin¬ Cultivation Suggestions nules, or segments on which they are The habitat is the base of large boulders First, it is important to note that most of borne. The Pellaea have a base chromo¬ on dry to moist slopes, primarily in moun¬ these plants are not easy to grow. Many some count of 29 pairs (x=29). tainous, xeric regions (1000-2500 of them come from areas where they meters); occasionally forming large mats. spend up to half the year dormant, wait¬ Argyrochosma ing for the rains. The two best growers I Pentagramma (Silverback Fem, know, David Schwartz and Clive These plants mostly look like Pellaea, Goldback Fem) Brotherton, both stress drainage, drain¬ and the classification has been kicked age, drainage. back and forth between Pellaea, These plants were classified as Pityrogramma until the recent work by Notholaena, and Cheilanthes. Recent Before you worry about soil, research the research shows that the Argyrochosma Michael Windham and David Benham. plant. If it comes from the U.S. west The major bases for the reclassification have a base chromosome count of 27 coast, it’s going to get its natural water pairs (x=27) which is different from the were: supply in the winter, with very little during typical x=29 or x=30 for other the summer. If it comes from , • Pityrogramma has flanged spores cheilanthoids. and Utah, there is a summer and a base chromosome count of monsoon season to augment the winter The distinguishing characteristics for x=29 rains. If it comes from the U.S. south, Argyrochosma are a combination of • Pentagramma has cheilanthoid summer can bring torrential rains. Try to single-colored (concolorous) scales and determine the natural soil content. Some spores (no flange) and a base chro¬ blade segments less than 4 cm. They are plants grow on limestone (calcium), and mosome count of x=30 also characterized by white farinose some never grow on limestone. The indument on the the abaxial surface of Based on this work, Pentagramma are more you know, the better are your the fronds. characterized as small- to medium-sized. chances of success.

36 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER Summer 1996 Cheilanthoids in the author's garden. Photo by Robin Halley.

Soil pots. Sometimes you can accomplish izer, because the plants normally come this just by grouping the plants. from deprived soils and you don’t want to Both Schwartz and Brotherton grow most over fertilize. Another camp recommends of their plants in pots. Schwartz some¬ a normal dose of fertilizer (1/2 recom¬ times uses a mix of about 1/2 construc¬ Water mended dosage as for any fem) because tion sand (bigger than cement sand) and Be very careful not to overwater. Most of the cheilanthoids want food just like any 1/2 normal potting mix. He also often these plants are not used to continuously plant. My recommendation is to be con¬ uses gravel in his mix. No one knows for wet conditions and are susceptible to rot. servative with fertilizer. If you want to sure what Brotherton uses, but it is very Remember, in nature, many of these experiment, start with 1/4 the recom¬ loose. I, too, usually add gravel to my plants go dormant when the humidity mended application and work slowly up mixes. However, I am currently experi¬ drops (no matter how much they are to 1/2, watching carefully for signs of too menting with volcanic rock (1/2 rock, 1/4 watered). If you have plants in contain¬ much fertilizer. peat, 1/4 redwood compost). ers, you may be able to extend the grow¬ The cheilanthoids are very interesting If you collect a plant from the wild, bring ing season by keeping the humidity up. AND they grow in the sun. Good luck. If back some of the soil. There are two Some people water from the bottom, as you have questions regarding informa¬ reasons. First, you can use the soil as a most of the time these plants would col¬ tion in this article and have e-mail access, growing medium. Second, you can study lect water from their roots. In any case, send your questions to it and try to duplicate the content for your avoid constant water on the foliage, es¬ [email protected]. If you don’t have plants. pecially with the lacier fronds. I use a drip e-mail, send questions to Robin Halley, system for the plants in the yard to pro¬ 1418 Park Row, La Jolla CA 92037-3710 vide water directly to the roots. USA. Light Most of these plants can take nearly full Fertilizer sun, but you should protect the roots. If planted in the ground, plant next to a There is some disagreement about this. large rock. If planted in pots, shade the One camp suggests very limited fertil¬

Summer 1996 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER 37 ^v(\. »-wk fronds are from one to three or even four w, tiiaf' feet long and are widest at the base, <« ' A | v\> -v r -V »0'Vx: x v\' * ^ j»v\„ t , V^* * - tapering gradually to a long slender tip. The base can be three to five inches wide. The pinnae are deltoid lanceolate to oblong lanceolate with pinnules that are oblong, broadly decurrent, and pin- natifid or deeply incised.

Although firmer in texture than C. fragilis, the fronds are still easily broken if not protected. Most interesting are the ovoid or lobed bulblets that form on the under¬ side of the fronds along the rachis and • ••'-—rr; 'V I yj&i pinnae m id ribs. About the size of a sweet- pea seed, the bulblets detach and take root rather quickly. They can be gathered

,f\>r V;*** *", y and planted, usually several together, to James R. Horrocks - Salt Lake City, UT -HI produce mature plants in about two grow¬ dferr. ing seasons. 'yf> The name Cystopteris means lit¬ The sori are small and roundish in a erally, "Bladder Fern" and the spe¬ double row on each pinnule. One sori cies name "bulbifera" refers to the bulb- appears near the base of each segment lets that it bears on its fronds. It is called of the pinnules. The indusium is dome¬ by several common names including Bulb- shaped and covers the sporangia in the let Bladder Fern and Berry Bladder Fern. form of a tiny pocket or bladder, hence Herbert Durand thought the term "bladder" should not the genus name. The indusium frag¬ be used as part of the common name since it was ments soon after the spores are ripe. unflattering for a plant of such refined grace. Quoting Durand further ’The atrocious C. bulbrfera hybridizes with C. fragilis to old name in general use "Bulbiferous form C. laurentiana, similar in outline to Bladder Fern" sounds like some hid¬ C. fragilis but with fewer smaller bulblets. eous malformation that should be C. bulbifera also hybridizes with C. < protusa to form the robust C. tennes¬ given surgical attention." I have al¬ and vice-versa. C. tennesseen¬ seensis, already mentioned. Both hy¬ ways called it simply the Bulblet Fem. sis, however, has pinnae that are more brids are fertile. One variety ofC. bulbifera This species ranges from Newfoundland broadly triangular, giving the fronds a is known, var. crispa, with smaller fronds to Ontario and Minnesota westward to much fuller, leafier aspect. It also pro¬ and wavy margins, discovered in the wild eastern South Dakota and eastern Ne¬ duces fewer bulbets than C. bulbrfera. in Falls Village, Connecticut. braska and southward to Oklahoma, Mis¬ Description: The rhizome is short-creep¬ souri and eastward to Alabama and North ing with quite congested stipe bases wh ich Culture: The Bulblet Fem is quite easily Carolina. It is disjunct in western , are usually dark brown or blackish, with grown. Although often associated with New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. Hence, few lanceolate scales. The stipe is about limestone, it does not necessarily need it is for the most part native to eastern one-half to one-third the length of the this medium nor does it demand wet North America, being locally abundant or blade, dark reddish-brown at the base, conditions to flourish. In semi-arid cli¬ strangely absent in many locales. very often of a purplish color above with mates such as here in northern Utah, it It's long tapering fragile fronds are not sparse scales. The light green to medium has done quite well in gardens with only likely to be confused with other species in green blade is linear-lanceolate to long average soil, as long as the soil does not the field, but in the garden it could be triangular-lanceolate in outline, bipannate- completely dry out. It is, of course, at its mistaken for Cystopteris tennesseensis pinnatifid almost its entire length. The best when given ample moisture and

38 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER Summer 1996 grown in a shady place. It is quite striking The Tongariro Crossing grown in large colonies and in the author's continued from page 33 garden there is in its midst the occasional with ferns, including the regal, rosette Cyrtomium fortuneivar. clivicola, the con¬ species of Blechnum (B. fluviatile and B. trast being quite interesting: the boldness discolor.) of "clivicola" with the daintiness of But the prize find of the day was a gossa¬ bulbifera. As has been mentioned, the mer stand of Tnchomanes reniforme fes¬ curious little bulblets can be harvested tooning moist tree bases and logs near and planted in nooks and crannies for the water. The translucent, kidney¬ wonderful effect in a very short time. The shaped fronds of this choice filmy fem Bulblet Fem is a very worthy addition for were overtwo inches (6 cm) wide, with an the shaded garden although I must add a edging of sunken sori that was truly pic¬ word of caution: because of the bulblets, ture-perfect. Add to all this the ringing call of a bellbird and the distinctive trill of it can get out of hand and seriously white-throated tuis and we were truly in compete with other small ferns. an enchanted forest. References: From here we literally ran the rest of the Ferns and Fern Allies of the United States way to the road - arriving 40 minutes late and Canada (1985) David B. Lellinger, for our 5:30 P.M. pickup. The driver was Smithsonian Institution Press, quite relieved to see us and we didn’t Washington, D.C. even get the tongue-lashing we expected Ferns for American Gardens (1994) John for our tardiness. Our intuition at the T. Mickel, MacMillan Publishing Co., morning drop-off was prophetic; he had New York. sized us up as marginally fit types who would have trouble finishing the trek in Ferns to Know and Grow, (Revised Ed. the average time of 8 hours (if at all!) We 1984) F. Gordon Foster, Timber Press, Inc., Portland. could have pleaded our truthful time- expansive needs for botanizing and pho¬ Field Book of Common Ferns, (Revised tographing. But, completely exhausted, Ed. 1949) Herbert Durand, G.P. Putnam's we simply sank into our seats and surren¬ Sons, New York. dered to the rush of a true mountain ‘‘high" - and one of the best days of our lives!

tHordy ~ ‘fern_ foundation ARACHNIODES The Hardy Fern Foundation Newsletter STANDISHIIContmueA is published quarterly by the Hardy Fem Foundation, P.O. Box 166, Medina, WA IT’S A.FRONDI In refer- 98039-0166. ence to the article on Arachniodes Articles, photos, fern and gardening questions, letters to the editor, and other standishii in the Spring 1996 HFF News¬ contributions are welcomed! letter, your editor is happy to report that Please send your submissions to on the morning of May 17,1996 two little Sue Olsen, 2003 128th Ave SE, fronds appeared in the standishii culture. Bellevue, WA, 98005. Newsletter: On July 5, over two hundred little plant- Editor: Sue Olsen lets were separated and potted on. Some Assistants: Janet Dalby, Sylvia Duryee, portion of of these will one day make their way to Sue & Herman Entz fruiting our test and display gardens - all as a Graphics: Karie Hess pinna result of the light treatment!

Summer 1996 HARDY FERN FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER 39 j? Eg >c i*

Board of Directors: Membersh ip Application: President: Sylvia Duryee First Vice President: Anne Holt Recording Secretary: Ruth Hofmann FIRST NAME LAST NAME Corresponding Secretary: Anne Holt Treasurer: Jack Doctor Past President: Guy Huntley ADDRESS Scientific Advisors: Barbara Joe Hoshizaki, Dr. John Mickel CITY STATE ZIP Members at Large: Greg Becker, Naud Burnett, Joan Gottlieb, PHONE Jocelyn Horder, Mary Ellen Tonsing AMni imt PKin nsm Membership Classifications: Check appropriate box Student.$10.00 Active . $20.00 Family.$25.00 Make checks payable to: Contributing. $100.00 Supporting. $500.00 (Ifie ftfordg fern foundation Patron.$1000.00 P.O. Box 166 Matching Gift Program Medina, Washington 98039-0166 Many companies will match their employee s contributions. A non-profit organization. Employer _ Your membership payment & contributions are tax deductible Donation to Endowment Fund to the extent allowed by law. In addition to my membership I would like to contribute to the endowment fund. Amount

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