Polystichum scopulinum
Encyclopedia
Polystichum scopulinum is a species of fern
known by the common names mountain holly fern and rock sword fern. It is native to much of western North America, and it is known from disjunct occurrences
in eastern Canada, as well. It grows in rocky habitat, often in full sun. It is widespread but mostly found in small populations, and is noted to be most abundant on serpentine soil
s. This fern produces several erect, narrowly lance-shaped leaves up to 50 centimeters in length. The leaves narrow near the bases. Each leaf is divided into many lance-shaped or oblong leaflets up to 3 centimeters long. The toothed leaflets are sometimes twisted on their axes and overlapping.
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
known by the common names mountain holly fern and rock sword fern. It is native to much of western North America, and it is known from disjunct occurrences
Disjunct distribution
In biology, a taxon with a disjunct distribution is one that has two or more groups that are related but widely separated from each other geographically...
in eastern Canada, as well. It grows in rocky habitat, often in full sun. It is widespread but mostly found in small populations, and is noted to be most abundant on serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
s. This fern produces several erect, narrowly lance-shaped leaves up to 50 centimeters in length. The leaves narrow near the bases. Each leaf is divided into many lance-shaped or oblong leaflets up to 3 centimeters long. The toothed leaflets are sometimes twisted on their axes and overlapping.