Species: Woodsia scopulina ssp. scopulina D.C. Eat.

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Woodsia scopulina ssp. scopulina D.C. Eat.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Dryopteridaceae

Genus:

Woodsia

Species Synonyms:

Woodsia oregana var. lyallii (Hook.) Boivin

Common Names:

Rocky Mountain woodsia
cliff-fern

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southern Yukon Territory – British Columbia – western Alberta, northern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

northwestern Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca – Reindeer Lake

Ecoregion:

Churchill River Upland, Tazin Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

granitic or calcareous cliffs, outcrops, and rocky slopes

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Rocky Mountain woodsia is endangered in Saskatchewan because it is rare and regionally restricted. No immediate threats are known, but are possible in the future.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Roots:

compact, erect to ascending, few to many persistent leaf bases of unequal lengths; scales 4 – 5 mm long, ovate to narrowly lance-shaped, often uniformly brown, at least some with dark central stripe and pale brown margins, entire

Fronds:

9 – 35 cm long, 1 – 8 cm wide

Stipes:

not jointed above base, relatively brittle and easily shattered, reddish-brown to dark purple at maturity, straw-coloured above middle; scales brownish, margin entire

Blades:

pinnately-lobed to bipinnate, lance-shaped, tip long-tapered, membranous, moderately glandular, rarely somewhat sticky; central axis with glandular and non-glandular hairs

Pinnae:

subopposite to alternate, 1 – 3 cm long, 0.4 – 0.6 cm wide, largest pinnae with 5 – 14 pairs of pinnules, lance-shaped to oval, longer than wide, tip short to long tapered, sparsely long hairy and glandular

Pinnules:

margin saw-toothed to square-toothed, often shallowly lobed

Indusia:

narrow, filamentous segments, in one row, concealed by or slightly surpassing mature spore sacs

Sori:

rounded, medial, mostly discrete

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