Polypodium calirhiza
Encyclopedia
Polypodium calirhiza is a species of fern in the polypody
family. Its common names include Nested polypody and Habit polypody. It is found in California, Oregon, and Mexico. The leaflets on each leaf are broad and oval-shaped, coming to a dull point. This fern is sometimes epiphytic
.
The name of this species is a conflation of Polypodium californicum
and Polypodium glycyrrhiza, because this species arose as a hybrid between those two species. It was not recognized as a separate species until 1991.
In the California Coast Ranges P. calirhiza occurs in a number of habitats including California oak woodland
s and exposed rocky outcrop
s. In such oak woodlands it is often found in understory alliances with such species as the fern Pellaea andromedifolia
and the fungus
Tremella mesenterica
.
Polypodiaceae
Polypodiaceae is a family of polypod ferns, which includes more than 60 genera divided into several tribes and containing around 1,000 species. Nearly all are epiphytes, but some are terrestrial.-Description:...
family. Its common names include Nested polypody and Habit polypody. It is found in California, Oregon, and Mexico. The leaflets on each leaf are broad and oval-shaped, coming to a dull point. This fern is sometimes epiphytic
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
.
The name of this species is a conflation of Polypodium californicum
Polypodium californicum
Polypodium californicum is a species of fern known by the common name California polypody. It is native to Baja California and California, where it grows along the coastline as well as in moist spots in coastal foothills and mountain ranges in the southern part of its distribution. This polypody...
and Polypodium glycyrrhiza, because this species arose as a hybrid between those two species. It was not recognized as a separate species until 1991.
In the California Coast Ranges P. calirhiza occurs in a number of habitats including California oak woodland
California oak woodland
California oak woodland is a plant community found throughout the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of California in the United States and northwestern Baja California in Mexico...
s and exposed rocky outcrop
Outcrop
An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
s. In such oak woodlands it is often found in understory alliances with such species as the fern Pellaea andromedifolia
Pellaea andromedifolia
Pellaea andromedifolia, with the common name Coffee fern, is a species of cliff brake fern. It is native to California in the United States and Baja California in Mexico.-Description:...
and the fungus
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
Tremella mesenterica
Tremella mesenterica
Tremella mesenterica is a common jelly fungus in the Tremellaceae family of the Agaricomycotina...
.