Smooth Cliffbrake
(Pellaea glabella)

Smooth Cliffbrake (Pellaea glabella) Family: Maidenhair Fern Family (Pteridaceae)

Group: Cliffbrakes

Similar species:
  •   Purple-stemmed Cliffbrake (Pellaea atropurpurea) - larger; tiny hairs along stem.

  •   Slender Cliffbrake (Cryptogramma stelleri)


Fronds: Once divided

Habitat: Rock ledges and cracks

Native/Non-native: Native

Notes: Often confused with Purple-stemmed Cliffbrake (Pellaea atropurpurea), as they both have purple stems; but Purple-stemmed Cliffbrake has tiny hairs all along the stems - look a bit fuzzy - see comparison photo pair below.

Photographs: 54 photographs available, of which 9 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

  

Growing in a crack in a cliff face. All of the photos on this page are from the Niagara Gorge.

Young plants.

Underside of leaflet.

Smooth stem, as contrasted with Purple-stemmed Cliffbrake (Pellaea atropurpurea).

Purple-stemmed Cliffbrake (Pellaea atropurpurea) (LEFT) and Smooth Cliffbrake (RIGHT) stems compared.
  

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