Ferns of Kern County, California

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Ferns of Kern County , California

by Alison M. Sheehey

This list currently has 48 species/subspecies listed, 29 confirmed through Moe/Twisselmann and 19 unconfirmed from CalFlora database. I downloaded much of the original list from CalFlora, some of their assertions may be incorrect. I am verifying these as time permits. Distribution information being added is from Moe/Twisselmann and personal experience. Common names from Jepson, CalFlora, and Twisselmann. Scientific names names from CalFlora and Moe. Photographs from personal collection and the photographers listed. All rights reserved. Contact individual photographers for use of images.
NOTE: I add photographs and distribution information as I find time.

Scientific name (s)

Pseudonyms

Common name

Habitat

Location

Pacific Coast Fern Finder page #

Native to Kern?

Twisselmann?

Twisselmann / Moe Page #

Adiantum aleuticum (Rupr.) C.A. Paris

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

western five-finger fern

Mixed Evergreen Forest, Chaparral,

Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest,

Lodgepole Forest

Reported as probably present (1) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion.

probable

Adiantum capillus-veneris L.

Alison Sheehey © Nature Alley

common maidenhair fern

Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland,

Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant

communities

Reported as presence uncertain (2) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion. in KRNw: western Kern county, Central Valley portion.

possible

Adiantum jordanii Mueller

Brent Miller

California maidenhair fern

Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland,

Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant

communities

Reported as presence uncertain (2) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion.

possible

Argyrochosma jonesii (Maxon) M.D. Windham

(formerly Cheilanthes jonesii and

Notholaena jonesii)

Photo by Mark Dimmitt, Ph.D, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, used with permission

Jones' false cloak fern

Joshua Tree Woodland, Pinyon-Juniper

Woodland

Reported as presence uncertain (2) in KRNe: eastern Kern county, east of mountains. Twisselmann reports very rare in limestone cliffs Douglas oak woodland Erskine Creek

native

yes

P166 K191

Aspidotis californica (Hook.) Copel.

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

Cheilanthes californica

California lace-fern

Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland,

Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant

communities

Reported as probably present (1) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion. Reported as probably present (1) in KRNw: western Kern county, Central Valley portion. Twisselmann reports rare in cracks and fissures in granite walls of Cedar Creek gorge / granite face Cedar Creek at mouth of Fulton Creek. Greenhorns

native

yes

P165 K192

Aspidotis densa (Brackenr.) Lellinger

Brother Alfred Brousseau © St. Mary's College

Cheilanthes siliquosa Cryptogramma densa

Onychium densum

Cliffbrake, Indian's dream

Northern Oak Woodland, Douglas-Fir

Forest, Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest

rare in yellow pine forest at Tiger Flat

native

yes

P165 K192

Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth var. cyclosorum

Rupr.

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

Common Lady Fern, Western Lady Fern

Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest,

Lodgepole Forest

Twisselmann reports found in small meadow ooon NW slope of Sunday Peak as well as on rotting logs on the east slope

native

yes

P165 K97

Azolla filiculoides Lam.

mosquito fern

occurs almost always under natural conditions in wetlands

Weldon 2 1/2 mi n; Miranda's Rancheria n side of S. Fork valley. Joe Walker Mine 1 mi n; s side Basin Creek Walker Basin. Twisselmann reports valley ponds and streams, Yellow Pine forest

native

yes

P167 K59

Azolla mexicana C. Presl

James Reveal

Mexican mosquito fern

deep-water and flowing-water conditions in freshwater-marsh habitats

possible

Botrychium multifidum (S. Gmelin) Rupr.

Brother Alfred Brousseau © St. Mary's College

ssp. silafolium (Pres) Clausen

California grape fern, Clausen grape fern, Leathery Grape Fern, common grapefern

Red Fir Forest

Tiger Flat

native Extirpated?

yes

P165 K148

Botrychium simplex Hitchc. var. compositum

(Lasch) Milde

Little Grape-fern, Yosemite moonwort

Red Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest

Mt. Pinos 8500 ft.

native Extirpated?

yes

P165 K148

Cheilanthes covillei Maxon

Charles Webber © California Academy of Sciences

Coville's lip fern

Chaparral, Yellow Pine Forest,

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, Joshua Tree

Woodland, Rocky places, Granite blocks

Cedar Crk Cpgrd, 10 mi E of Glennville, foothills of Greenhorn Mtns, Onyx hillside 2 1/2 mi e; on Kern River Canyon Rd, Tehachapi Pass, Poso Mine gorge ca. 2 1/4 mi by section line se of; foothills of Greenhorn Mts Greenhorn Mts, Democrat Springs ca 3 km (2 mi) e; on State Hwy 178, Kern River Preserve, Walker Pass ca. 4 air mi nw of; e of Isabelle Lake, canyon n side Pinyon Peak, bottom of canyon at end of dirt rd Scodie Mts, Kernville 5 mi above; Gilbert Camp Kern River Canyon, Onyx 2 mi e; on Hwy 178, Sierra Nevada: near Weldon, valley of the lower Kern River , Carneros Rocks Antelope Plain

native

yes

P165 K192

Cheilanthes intertexta (Maxon) Maxon

coastal lipfern

Mixed Evergreen Forest, Yellow Pine

Forest, Red Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest,

Douglas-Fir Forest

native

yes

P165 K192

Cheilanthes parryi (D. Eaton) Domin

Brother Alfred Brousseau © St. Mary's College

Parry Cloak Fern, Parry's lip-fern

Creosote Bush Scrub, Pinyon-Juniper

Woodland

Reported as probably present (1) in KRNe: eastern Kern county, east of mountains.

probable

Cheilanthes viscida Davenp.

James M. Andre

viscid lip-fern

Creosote Bush Scrub, shaded cracks on

metamorphic outcrops

Last Chance Canyon El Paso Range

native

yes

P165 K192

Cryptogramma acrostichoides R. Br.

Alison Sheehey © Nature Alley

American parsley fern, American rockbrake

Red Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest,

Reported as probably present (1) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion.

probable

Cryptogramma cascadensis E. Alverson

Photo by John Game, used with permission

Cascade parsley fern, Cascade rockbrake

between 6889 and 11154 feet

Reported as presence implied by Jepson Manual but not confirmed by other sources (6) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion.

possible

Cystopteris fragilis (L.) Bernh.

Brother Alfred Brousseau © St. Mary's College

Bladder fern, Brittle Fern, brittle bladder fern, fragile fern

Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest,

Lodgepole Forest, Foothill Woodland,

Chaparral, Valley Grassland. Moist shaded places

Greenhorns, Breckenridge, Glennville [stream 9 mi E of] in Greenhorn Mtn foothills, rare in El Paso Canyon Tehachapis

native

yes

P165 K97

Dryopteris arguta (Kaulf.) Maxon

Photo by Michael Charters, www.calflora.net

California wood fern, Shield Fern, coastal wood fern

many plant communities shin (Oregon) oak thickets to yellow pine forest

Poso Mine ca. 2 3/8 mi by section line se of; n-facing watershed above Poso Creek foot hills of Greenhorn Mts. Twisselmann occasional shaded moist places shin oak brush to yellow pine Greenhorns / Breckenridge. Uncommon similar habitat Tehachapi Mtns.

native

yes

P165 K97

Equisetum X ferrissii Clute

Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine. Munz: Equisetum ferrissii Clute (pro sp.) x

Ferris' horsetail

wetlands

Kern River Cyn ca 1.5 mi W of Dougherty Crk. Common at Kern River at Hart Park

native

yes

P167

Equisetum arvense L.

Tony Morosco

common horsetail

George W. Hartwell

Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest,

Lodgepole Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant communities

common in the mountains, San Emigdio Mountains: Crk that crosses rd at Mill Potrero, below N side of Mt Pinos, Sierra Nevada: Tillie Crk Rd .5 mi below Alta Sierra Lodge, occasional in Bakersfield

native

yes

P167 K98

Equisetum hyemale L. ssp. affine (Engelm.) Calder & R.H. Taylor

Alison Sheehey © Nature Alley

giant scouring rush

Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland,

Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant

communities

scarce along the Kern River in the Kern Valley, planted at CSUB ponds

native

yes

P167 K98

Equisetum laevigatum A. Braun

Brother Alfred Brousseau © St. Mary's College

smooth scouring-rush

Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest,

Lodgepole Forest, Foothill Woodland,

Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant

communities

common in the mountains, occasional in Bakersfield, Sierra Nevada: Short Cyn [head of], Pettitt Meadow. Short Cyn [head of], Piute Peak se of; Claraville flat Piute Mt. San Emigdio Mountains: Pinos, Mt. Pinos Seymour Creek, Cuddy Canyon lower end Mt. Pinos Region.

native

yes

P167 K98

Equisetum telmateia Ehrh. ssp. braunii

(Milde) R.L. Hauke

Brother Alfred Brousseau

Prof. R. P. Olowin at St. Mary's College

giant horse tail

Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland,

Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant

communities

Reported as presence uncertain (2) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion.

possible

Isoetes howellii Engelm.

Carol W. Witham

Howell's quillwort

many plant communities

Reported as presence uncertain (2) in KRNw: western Kern county, Central Valley portion. Reported as presence uncertain (2) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion.

possible

Isoetes nuttallii Engelm.

Photo by Doreen L. Smith, used with permission

Nuttall's quillwort

Chaparral, Lodgepole Forest, Yellow Pine

Forest, Red Fir Forest

Sierra Nevada: e. Greenhorn along Wagy Flat Creek

native

yes

P168 K123

Isoetes orcuttii A.A. Eaton

used with permission © Michael Simpson

Orcutt's quillwort

Chaparral, Valley Grassland

Reported as presence uncertain (2) in KRNw: western Kern county, Central Valley portion.

possible

Marsilea vestita Hook. & Grev. ssp. vestita

Charles Lewallen

hairy pepperwort, hairy waterclover

Coastal Sage Scrub, Valley Grassland,

rice field weed, ponds, streams, canals

fresh waterponds Buena Vista basin, upper Kern River, Kern National Wildlife Refuge

native

yes

P167 K141

Notholaena californica

California cloak fern

Coastal Sage Scrub, Creosote Bush Scrub

Mill Creek trail

native

Pellaea andromedifolia (Kaulf.) Fee

Alison Sheehey © Nature Alley

coffee cliffbrake, coffee fern

Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland,

Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant

communities

Poso Mine ca. 1 1/2 mi se of; n-facing watershed of Poso Creek foothills of Greenhorn Mts, lower Kern Canyon ca. 5 mi above its mouth; along trail to small dam in Rich Gulch San Joaquin Valley, Bakersfield 14 mi e Kern River Canyon, Poso Mine ca. 1 1/2 mi se of; n-facing watershed of Poso Creek foothills of Greenhorn Mts, Onyx 1/2 mi nw. Temblors: Antelope Plain Carneros Rocks. Piute Mtns: Jawbone Canyon

native

yes

P166 K192

Pellaea breweri D. Eaton

Larry Blakely

Brewer's cliffbrake

Red Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest

Howell, J. T. and R. J. Long 1970

possible

Pellaea mucronata (D. Eaton) D. Eaton

var. californica (Lemmon) Munz & I.M. Johnston

California cliff-brake, Bird's Foot Fern

Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest,

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland. Rocky places

Common in the Greenhorns. Scarce upper Sonoran woodlands. Tehachapi Mt summit; on ridge 0.3 mi sw of summit of peak Tehachapi Mts

native

yes

P166 K 192

Pellaea mucronata (D. Eaton) D. Eaton

var. mucronata

Brent Miller

bird's-foot fern

Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest,

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, granite

outcrops

Poso Mine ca. 1 1/2 mi se of; n-facing watershed of Poso Creek Greenhorn Mts rare in Cedar Creek, foothills Grizzly Gulch by Woody, Kernville 10 mi w Greenhorn Mts, Kern River Preserve, Onyx 1/2 mi nw of, Ridgecrest ca. 20 mi wnw of; between Lamont Meadows and Owens Peak, along trail on w side Spanish Needle Pacific Crest Trail

native

Pentagramma pallida (Weath.) G. Yatskievych,

Windham & Wollenweber

Pityrogramma triangularis var. pallida

silver-back fern

Keene / Tehachapi, Caliente Creek Watershed, Onyx 5.0 km (3.1 mi) e of; on State Hwy 178, 0.4 km s of the Hwy, S side of Grizzly Gulch on the White River-Rag Gulch rd

native

yes

P166 K192

Pentagramma triangularis ssp. triangularis (Kaulf.) G. Yatskievych, Windham & Wollenweber

Alison Sheehey © Nature Alley

Goldenback Fern, gold-back fern, Silverback fern

Coastal Sage Scrub, Creosote Bush

Scrub, Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill

Woodland, Chaparral, Valley Grassland,

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland, upper Sonoran, rocky places

Poso Mine ca. 1 mi e; near Poso Creek, Poso Mine ca. 2 mi by section line se of; slope above Poso Creek Greenhorn Mts foothills, Weldon 2 mi e; s of hwy, Onyx 3.1 mi (5.0 km) e; on State Hwy 178, 0.4 km s of the Hwy Famoso-Woody Rd, 2.3 mi W of Woody. occasional in sandy places in the Temblors

native

yes

P166 K192

Pilularia americana A. Braun

Carol W. Witham

American pillwort

clay wetlands

Reported as presence uncertain (2) in KRNw: western Kern county, Central Valley portion.

possible

Polypodium californicum Kaulf.

Photo by Michael Charters, www.calflora.net

California polypody

Chaparral, Coastal Sage Scrub, Foothill

Woodland, Mixed Evergreen Forest

Reported as probably present (1) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion. Reported as probably present (1) in KRNw: western Kern county, Central Valley portion.

probable

Polypodium calirhiza S. Whitmore & A.R. Smith

Dean Wm. Taylor

P. californicum

Licorice Fern, acrid fern, nested polypody

moist heavily shaded metamorphic rock

to 3500'

possible KRNw: western Kern county, Central Valley portion. Twisselmann reports as P. californicum El Paso Canyon 3500' Tehachapis, Tejon Canyon 2750'

native

yes

P165 K187

Polystichum imbricans (D. Eaton) D.H. Wagner

ssp. curtum (Ewan) D.H. Wagner

cliff sword fern, narrowleaf swordfern

rocky slopes, crevices, woodlands

Reported as presence implied by Jepson Manual but not confirmed by other sources (6) in KRNw: western Kern county, Central Valley portion.

possible

Polystichum imbricans (D. Eaton) D.H. Wagner

ssp. imbricans

narrowleaf swordfern, rock sword fern

shade to exposed rock outcrops

Reported as presence implied by Jepson Manual but not confirmed by other sources (6) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion. Reported as presence implied by Jepson Manual but not confirmed by other sources (6) in KRNw: western Kern county, Central Valley portion.

possible

Polystichum scopulinum (D. Eaton) Maxon

mountain holly fern

Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest,

Lodgepole Forest, serpentine / acidic soils in full sun

Reported as probably present (1) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion.

probable

Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn var. pubescens

L. Underw.

Bracken, Western bracken fern, hairy brackenfern

many plant communities, Coastal Sage

Scrub, Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest,

Lodgepole Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, Valley Grassland

head of Catskin Creek Tehachapi

native

yes

P166 K96

Selaginella asprella Maxon

bluish spike-moss,

Lodgepole Forest, Red Fir Forest, Yellow

Pine Forest

Kern Canyon above Kernville east to Jeffrey

pine forest at head of Fay Canyon

native

yes

P167 K213

Selaginella bigelovii L. Underw.

Bigelow's moss-fern, Bigelow's spike-moss, Spike Moss, bushy spikemoss

Chaparral, Coastal Sage Scrub, Foothill

Woodland

Caliente 3 mi above; e slope near Caliente Creek, Bakersfield 14 mi e; Kern River Canyon Kern River Canyon, Sierra Nevada: Kern Cyn, just above Richbar, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, lower Kern Canyon

native

yes

P167 K213

Selaginella watsonii L. Underw.

Dean Wm. Taylor

Watson's spike-moss

Lodgepole Forest, Douglas Oak

Poso Creek ridge on s side of Greenhorn

Mts., Pinyon Peak Scodie Mtns.

native

yes

P167 K213

Woodsia scopulina D. Eaton

Mountain Cliff Fern, Rocky Mountain woodsia

rocky soil

Reported as probably present (1) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion.

probable

Woodwardia fimbriata Sm.

Keir_Morse

Chain fern, Western Chain Fern, giant chain fern, giant chainfern

Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland,

Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant

communities

Poso Mine ca. 2 mi e; 1/2 mi s of Poso Creek Greenhorn Mt. Reported as presence uncertain (2) in KRNc: central Kern county, Tehachapi, Greenhorn, Sierra mountainous portion.

native

yes

P166 K59

References used:

2004. CalFlora Database. http://www.calflora.org last accessed 25 Jul 2004.

Hickman, J. C. ed. 1993. The Jepson Manual of Higher Plants of California. UC Press, Berkeley.

Moe, L. M. 1995. A Key to Vascular Plant Species of Kern County, California. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA.

Keator, G, and G. Heady. 1981. Pacific Coast Fern Finder. Nature Study Guild, Rochester, NY.

Twisselmann, E. C. 1967. A Flora of Kern County, California. Wasmann Journal of Biology. 25.

Birds of Kern County, California: A photo checklist

Butterflies of Kern County

Dragonflies of Kern County

A series of simple checklists for use in the field

Kern Amphibian Checklist

Kern Bird Checklist

Kern Butterfly Checklist

Tulare Butterfly Checklist

Kern Dragonfly Checklist

Checklist of Exotic Animals introduced to Kern County

Kern Fish Checklist

Kern Mammal Checklist

Kern Reptile Checklist

Checklist of Sensitive Species found in Kern County

November 28 Bird Adventure

November Wild Life

Ash-throated Flycatcher - Lake Ming - Nov. 4 2003

Hodgepodge of Insect Photos

Kern County Geology

Kern County Biogeography

Nature Ali Wild Wanderings

Wildflowers and colors of the month

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