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

Woodsia scopulina ssp. scopulina 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 stipe bases of unequal lengths; scales 4 – 5 mm long, ovate to narrowly lanceolate, often uniformly brown, at least some with dark central stripe and pale brown margins, margin entire

Fronds:

9 – 35 cm long, 1 – 8 cm wide

Stipes:

not articulate above base, relatively brittle and easily shattered, reddish-brown to dark purple at maturity, stramineus above middle; scales brownish, entire

Blades:

pinnate-pinnatifed to bipinnate, lanceolate, apex acuminate, membranous, moderately glandular, rarely somewhat viscid; rachis 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, lanceolate to ovate, longer than wide, apex acute to acuminate, sparsely villous and glandular

Pinnules:

margin serrate to dentate, often shallowly lobed

Indusia:

narrow, filamentous segments, uniseriate, concealed by or slightly surpassing mature sporangia

Sori:

rounded, medial, mostly discrete

WOODSIA KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

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

2 Stipes articulate above base, swollen at point of articulation; indusia segments uniseriate throughout; pinnules entire or crenate	3
2 Stipes not articulate above the base, no swelling; indusia segments multiseriate at base; pinnules dentate	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; stipes relatively brittle and easily shattered; indusia with broad lobes lacerate into slender segments	W. scopulina ssp. scopulina
4 Pinnae lacking flattened hairs on midrib; stipes 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 dentate and appearing ragged	W. oregana spp. cathcartiana