Sierra cliffbrake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sierra cliffbrake |
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Pellaea brachyptera, also known as the Sierra cliffbrake, is a cool type of fern. Ferns are ancient plants that don't make flowers or seeds. Instead, they reproduce using tiny spores. This special fern grows naturally in the mountains near the coast and further inland in northern California and Oregon. A small group of these ferns was even found far away in Chelan County, Washington, in 1986.
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What is the Sierra Cliffbrake?
The Sierra cliffbrake fern loves to grow on rocky cliffs and slopes. It especially likes rocks that were formed from volcanoes, which are called igneous rocks.
How Does it Grow?
This fern grows from a reddish-brown rhizome. A rhizome is like an underground stem that can branch out several centimeters long.
What Do Its Leaves Look Like?
Each leaf of the Sierra cliffbrake is long and narrow, growing up to 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) in length. The leaves are a gray-green color.
- The main stem of the leaf is called a rachis, and it's dark brown.
- Along this rachis, there are many smaller parts called leaflets.
- Each leaflet is divided into even tinier, pointed sections. These sections are tough and feel almost like needles.
- The edges of these tiny segments are curled under, which is a unique feature of this fern.
How Does it Reproduce?
Underneath the curled edges of the leaf segments, you'll find the sporangia. These are like tiny cases where the fern makes its spores. When the spores are ready, they are released to grow into new ferns.
