Species: Woodsia oregana ssp. oregana D.C. Eat.x

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Woodsia oregana ssp. oregana D.C. Eat.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Dryopteridaceae

Genus:

Woodsia

Species Synonyms:

none

Common Names:

Oregon cliff-fern
Oregon woodsia
cliff-fern

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

British Columbia – southern Mackenzie District – northwestern and southwestern Saskatchewan – southwestern Ontario – southern Quebec

Saskatchewan:

northwestern and southwestern Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca, Cypress Hills

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland, Mid-Boreal Lowland, Tazin Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

granitic or calcareous cliffs, outcrops, and rocky slopes

Associated species:

ballhead sandwort, brown everlasting, diamondleaf saxifrage

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Vulnerable

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5T5 S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Oregon cliff-fern is vulnerable in Saskatchewan because it is rare or uncommon. This species is wide-ranging, but most local populations are small. No immediate threats are known, but are possible in the future.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Roots:

compact, erect to ascending, to 5 cm long, few to many persistent stalks bases of unequal lengths; scales few, narrowly lance-shaped, often uniformly brown, at least some with dark central stripe and pale brown margins

Fronds:

4 – 25 cm long, 1 – 5 cm wide

Stipes:

not jointed above base, somewhat flexible and resistant to shattering, reddish-brown to dark purple when mature

Blades:

linear to narrowly oval, pinnately-lobed or bipinnate, sparsely to moderately glandular; central axis with scattered glandular hairs and occasional hair-like scales

Pinnae:

largest with 3 – 9 pairs of pinnules, oval to elliptic, longer than wide

Pinnules:

margin entire

Indusia:

segments 5 – 9 narrow, filamentous, in one row, concealed by or slightly surpassing mature sporangia

Sori:

rounded, medial, mostly discrete to confluent

WOODSIA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Blades and central axis completely hairless; proximal pinnae wider than long; leaves < 1.2 cm wide; mature stalks green or straw-coloured throughout	W. glabella
1 Blades and/or central axis with scattered hairs; proximal pinnae longer than wide; leaves > 1.2 cm wide (if less, mature stalks reddish brown or dark purple)	2

2 Stalks jointed above base, swollen at joint; indusia segments in one row throughout; pinnules entire or round-toothed	3
2 Stalks not jointed above the base, no swelling; indusia segments in several rows at base; pinnules square-toothed	4

3 Largest pinnae with 1 – 3 pairs of pinnules	W. alpina
3 Largest pinnae with 4 – 9 pairs of pinnules	W. ilvensis

4 Pinnae with flattened hairs on midrib; stalks relatively brittle and easily shattered; indusia with broad lobes shredded into slender segments	W. scopulina ssp. scopulina
4 Pinnae lacking flattened hairs on midrib; stalks pliable; indusia with slender, often hair-like segments	5

5 Spores 39 – 44 um; pinnule margins entire	W. oregana ssp oregana
5 Spores 45 – 50 um; pinnule margins minutely square-toothed and appearing ragged	W. oregana spp. cathcartiana