Cheilanthes covillei can be difficult to distinguish from the closely related C . intertexta and C . clevelandii ; it differs from these two species in having glabrous blades and costal scales ciliate only on the basal lobes. Cheilanthes covillei is occasionally misidentified as C . fendleri because the cilia of the scales are often obscure; it is distinguished from the latter species by having rigid, dark brown stem scales that are strongly appressed. Cheilanthes covillei hybridizes with C . parryi and C . newberryi to form rare, sterile diploids known as C . × parishii Davenport and C . × fibrillosa (Davenport) Davenport ex Underwood, respectively. A third sterile diploid hybrid with C . fendleri has recently been discovered in central Arizona (M. D. Windham, unpublished).