Woodsia obtusa — blunt-lobed cliff fern
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Facts
The remains of the previous's stipe can often be found at the base of the fronds of blunt-lobed cliff fern.
Habitat
Cliffs, balds, or ledges, ridges or ledges, talus and rocky slopes
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf divisions
- the leaf blade is twice compound (divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets)
- Plant growth form
- the leaves grow from a rhizome growing at or below the ground
- Spore-bearing leaflets
- the spore-bearing fronds are similar in size and shape to the sterile fronds
- Sorus shape
- the sori are circular or kidney-shaped
- Leaf stalk scales
- the leaf stalk has scales
- Leaf stalk hairs
- the leaf stalk has hairs
- Leaf blade length
- 10–40 cm
- Leaf vein tips
- the veins end in small round expanded areas, and do not reach the edge of the leaf blade
-
Growth form
- Life form
- the plant is herbaceous and terrestrial
- Life stage
- the plant is visible as a typical leaf-bearing fern (sporophyte)
- Spore-bearing leaflets
- the spore-bearing fronds are similar in size and shape to the sterile fronds
-
Leaves
- Features of leaves
- there are no special features on the leaves
- Leaf blade length
- 10–40 cm
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blades are widest above the base, then taper broadly towards the tip (ovate)
- the leaf blades are widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip (lanceolate)
- Leaf blade tip shape
- the tip of the leaf blade is a sharp point (acute)
- Leaf blade width
- At least 2 cm
- Leaf divisions
- the leaf blade is twice compound (divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets)
- Leaf lifespan
- the leaves drop off in winter
- Leaf stalk color
- yellow to brown
- Leaf stalk hairs
- the leaf stalk has hairs
- Leaf stalk length
- 20–175 mm
- Leaf stalk relative length
- the leaf stalk is more than a quarter, but less than three quarters as long as the blade
- Leaf stalk scale location
- the scales are present on both the lower and upper halves of the leaf stalk
- Leaf stalk scales
- the leaf stalk has scales
- Leaf stalk vessels
- 2 bundles
- Leaf vein branching
- the secondary veins of the leaf blade branch dichotomously (two equal branches at each branch point)
- Leaf vein tips
- the veins end in small round expanded areas, and do not reach the edge of the leaf blade
- Leaflet relative size
- the bottom leaflets are about half as long as, to slightly longer than, the leaflets from the middle of the frond
- Leaflet stalks
-
- the leaflets are stalked
- the leaflets do not have stalks
- Lobe or leaflet length
- 8–60 mm
- Lobe or leaflet pairs
- 8–20
- Lobe or leaflet shape
-
- the lobe or leaflet is roughly triangular with the stalk in the center of the widest side (broad-triangular)
- the lobe or leaflet is shaped like an ellipse; widest near the middle and tapering at both ends
- the lobe or leaflet is widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends; egg-shaped
- Lobe or leaflet width
- 5–27 mm
- Plant growth form
- the leaves grow from a rhizome growing at or below the ground
- final leaf segment margin
-
- the topmost lobe or leaflet of the leaf blade has a smooth or lobed edge
- the topmost lobe or leaflet of the leaf blade has an edge with teeth
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- cliffs, balds, or ledges
- ridges or ledges
- talus or rocky slopes
-
Spores or spore cones
- Sorus features
- there are no special features on the sorus
- Sorus shape
- the sori are circular or kidney-shaped
- Sporangia location
- the spores are clustered on sori on the lower surface of the leaf blade
- Sporangium type
- the sporangia are opaque without an annulus and usually without a stalk (leptosporangiate)
- Spore forms
- there is only one type of spore present
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), threatened (code: T)
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Vermont
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
ssp. obtusa
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
Subspecies and varieties
Our subspecies is Woodsia obtusa (Spreng.) Torr. ssp. obtusa.
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
4. Woodsia obtusa (Spreng.) Torr. ssp. obtusa N
blunt-lobed cliff fern. Physematium obtusum (Spreng.) Hook.; Polypodium obtusum Spreng. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Cliffs and rocky slopes, predominantly on high-pH substrate.
Native to North America?
Yes
Synonyms
- Physematium obtusum (Spreng.) Hook.
- Polypodium obtusum Spreng.