Pentagramma pallida (Weath.) Yatsk., Windham & E. Wollenw.:
United States (North America)

Pityrogramma pallida (Weath.) K.A. Grant & V.E. Grant:
United States (North America)

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Pentagramma pallida is endemic to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. C. A. Weatherby (1920), K. S. Alt and V. Grant (1960), and D. M. Smith (1980) agreed that P . pallida is among the most easily distinguishable taxa in the group, particularly in the field. In addition to the key characteristics, the usually blackish, nonlustrous petioles of this species are unique in the genus. Alt and Grant noted a case of apparent hybridization between this species and Pentagramma triangularis in Tuolumne County, California.

Petiole black or nearly so, not shiny, farinose; farina white, especially in young leaves. Blade thin, herbaceous, white-farinose abaxially and adaxially, appearing grayish adaxially when fresh. 2 n = 60.

Rock crevices and at base of boulders, in drainages and on slopes, rarely on roadbanks, pine and oak woodlands; 100--400 m; Calif.

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N3 - Vulnerable

Rounded Global Status Rank: G3 - Vulnerable

Reasons: California endemic, known from the Sierra foothills, with broad elevation range and common habitats.

Comments: Kartesz' 1994 checklist spelled the genus name "Pentagrama", but he corrected the spelling to "Pentagramma" in his 1999 Floristic Synthesis, which agrees with the spelling in various other sources (Hickman, 1993; Flora of North America, 1993).