Coastal lip fern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coastal lip fern |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Myriopteris
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| Species: |
intertexta
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| Synonyms | |
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The Coastal Lip Fern, also known as Myriopteris intertexta, is a type of fern. It used to be called Cheilanthes intertexta. This plant is a kind of lip fern.
Where Does It Grow?
This fern naturally grows in the mountains of California. You can also find it in nearby parts of southern Oregon and western Nevada. It likes to grow in places with lots of rocks.
What Does It Look Like?
The Coastal Lip Fern grows in groups. Its leaves are dark green and can be up to about 25 centimeters (about 10 inches) long.
Each leaf is split into small, bumpy parts. These parts are then divided again into even smaller, round, bead-like pieces. The edges of these tiny pieces curl under, making them look like little cups underneath.
Each of these very small pieces is less than 3 millimeters wide. They have tiny hairs on top and small scales on their underside.
The fern's sori are its spore-producing structures. They are hard to see because they are hidden under the scales and the curled edges of the leaves.
How It's Related to Other Plants
Scientists believe this fern is a natural hybrid. This means it formed when two different fern species, Myriopteris gracillima and Myriopteris covillei, cross-bred. A "fertile hybrid" means it can also make its own seeds (spores, in the case of ferns) and reproduce.
