Purple-stem Cliffbrake fern
Pellaea atropurpurea

Characteristics

Environment - Limestone bluffs and boulders.
Fronds - Multipinnate at the base of mature fronds.
Leaves - Highly variable in shape as the leaves mature.
Rachis - Dark purple with long thin light colored scales.
Spores - Large numbers of spores in a single band along the lip of the leaflets.

A small pocket in a limestone boulder on an intermittent creek.

Purple-stem Cliffbrake - Pellaea atropurpurea environment.

Note the changing pattern from the tip to the base of this frond. This plant has a highly variable leaflet shape.

Purple-stem Cliffbrake - Pellaea atropurpurea frond upper surface.

The upper surface of a very young single frond with only 1 leaflet. Note the very different shape.

Purple-stem Cliffbrake - Pellaea atropurpurea immature frond/leaflet.

Lower surface and rachis of a very young frond.

Purple-stem Cliffbrake - Pellaea atropurpurea frond lower surface.

Dark purple rachis and narrow scales of a mature frond.

Purple-stem Cliffbrake - Pellaea atropurpurea rachis and scales.

Spores aligned along the lip of the leaflet.

Purple-stem Cliffbrake - Pellaea atropurpurea sporangia.

Ferns Gallery