Notholaena fendleri Kunze:
Mexico (Mesoamerica)
United States (North America)

Mexico

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: This species is found in Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming (Kartesz and the Biota of North America Program 1998, USDA NRCS 2007), and Sonora, Mexico (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993). Peripheral in Laramie County, in southeastern Wyoming (pers. comm. Walt Fertig WYNDD 1999 to Kim Fayette CNHP). This species is ranked S3 in Colorado, SNR in New Mexico, and S1 in Wyoming (NaureServe 2006). It is known from 16 counties in Colorado, 5 counties in New Mexico, and 1 county in Wyoming (USDA NRCS 2007).

Argyrochosma fendleri is occasionally confused with A . limitanea , which can have slightly flexuous rachises and pinna costae. All A . limitanea specimens with slightly flexuous rachises and costae have 32 spores per sporangium, whereas specimens of A . fendleri consistently have 64. This southern Rocky Mountain species is the only member of the genus that is found on acidic substrates such as granite.

Stem scales brown. Leaves 5--25 cm. Petiole dark brown, 0.75--1.5 mm diam. Blade deltate, 4--6-pinnate proximally, leathery to somewhat herbaceous, abaxially covered by whitish farina, adaxially glabrous or glandular; rachis rounded adaxially. Pinna costae distinctly flexuous, branches arising from prominent angles. Ultimate segments not articulate, dark color of stalks continuing into segment bases abaxially; segment margins plane to recurved, often partially concealing sporangia; veins usually obscure adaxially. Sporangia submarginal, borne on distal 1/4 of secondary veins, containing 64 spores. 2 n = 54.

The fronds are widely branched, with very small ternate pinnules, which are white waxy beneath.

Notholaena fendleri Kunze, Farrnkräuter 2: 87, plate 136. 1851; Cheilanthes cancellata Mickel; Pellaea fendleri (Kunze) Prantl

Comments: This species is found in talus and cliff crevices of arid canyonsides (Weber and Wittmann 1996). Rocky slopes and cliffs; usually on granitic or volcanic substrates; 1700-3000 m (Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993). Growing on rocks in crevices in rocky bluffs (Lellinger 1985).

Sporulating summer--fall. Rocky slopes and cliffs; usually on granitic or volcanic substrates; 1700--3000 m; Colo., N.Mex., Wyo.; Mexico in Sonora.

Note: For many non-migratory species, occurrences are roughly equivalent to populations.

Estimated Number of Occurrences: 21 - 80

Comments: There is a single location known in Wyoming (pers. comm. Walt Fertig WYNDD 1999 to Kim Fayette). There are 18 east slope and 10 west slope (mostly from Mesa County) specimens for Colorado at the University of Colorado Herbarium (pers. comm. Nan Lederer CU Herbarium 1999 to Kim Fayette). As of 2007 this number for Colorado has increased to 33 specimens housed at the University of Colorado Herbarium. There are 16 specimens for New Mexico at the University of New Mexico Herbarium (pers. comm. Jane Mygatt UNM Herbarium 1999 to Kim Fayette).

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 4
Species: 4
Species With Barcodes: 1

Mexico

Rounded National Status Rank: N1 - Critically Imperiled

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N3 - Vulnerable

Rounded Global Status Rank: G3 - Vulnerable

Reasons: This species has been documented from at least 30 locations in Colorado and Wyoming. Additionally, approximately 16 locations are known from New Mexico, and at least one location from Sonora, Mexico.

Comments: Weber and Wittmann (2001) include this species in the Sinopteridaceae, the Lipfern family. Lellinger (1985) lists as Notholaena fendleri.