Purple-stem cliffbrake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Purple-stem cliffbrake |
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| Formation of Pellaea atropurpurea | |
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The purple-stem cliffbrake (Pellaea atropurpurea) is a type of fern that grows in North and Central America. It is also called just purple cliffbrake. The word "brake" is an old word for a fern. This fern is special because it likes to grow on rocks that contain limestone.
This fern can make copies of itself without needing two parents. This way of reproducing is common among rock ferns.
What Does It Look Like?
This fern grows in clumps with fronds that arch outwards. The main stem and branches of the frond are purple. The frond itself often has a blue-gray color.
The upper parts of the frond have long, narrow leaves that are not divided. The lower parts are divided into 3 to 15 smaller leaf sections. These leaf sections are mostly opposite each other.
Fronds that are ready to reproduce are longer and have more divisions. They produce sori, which are groups of spore cases. These spore cases are found along the rolled-in edges of the leaves.
You can tell this plant apart from a similar fern, Pellaea glabella, because the purple-stem cliffbrake is hairier and generally larger.
Where Does It Grow?
The purple-stem cliffbrake grows in dry places. It likes to live in cracks in limestone cliffs. You can also find it on rocky slopes, in special rocky areas called alvars, and even on old stone walls.
This fern is considered endangered in some states. These include Florida, Iowa, and Rhode Island. It has completely disappeared from Louisiana. This happened because the limestone rock where it grew was quarried away.
Images for kids
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Formation of Pellaea atropurpurea
See Also
In Spanish: Purple-stem cliffbrake para niños
