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Cheilanthes gracillima
Cheilanthes gracillima D.C. Eaton
Lace Lipfern, Lace Lip Fern
Pteridaceae (Maidenhair Fern Family)
Synonym(s): Cheilanthes gracillima var. aberrans
USDA Symbol: CHGR
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
This is a small-statured fern, usually less than 6 in. tall. The small, gray-green fronds cluster in a cushion-like rosette. The wiry "stems" and deeply dissected pinnae create a lacy effect.
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Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb , Fern
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Size Notes: Up to about 6 inches tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Not ApplicableBloom Notes: Not a flowering plant. Reproduces by spores.
Distribution
USA: CA , ID , MT , NV , OR , UT , WACanada: AB , BC
Native Distribution: Mts. from s. B.C. to s. CA & inland to n.e. OR, ID & n.w. MT
Native Habitat: Rock crevices from mid- to high-altitudes
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , ShadeSoil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Fairly dry, rocks.
Conditions Comments: Cheilanthes gracillima is slow-growing, good for use in rock gardens, and does not transplant well.
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Cheilanthes gracillima in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Cheilanthes gracillima in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Cheilanthes gracillima
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-02-01Research By: TWC Staff