California Cloakfern [Notholaena californica D. C. Eat.]
Listing CNPS Unlisted R-E-D Code - None
State/Federal. Status -- None POLYPODIACEAE Feb.-Apr.
Global Rank None State Rank None
Distribution: San Diego County, San Bernardino County, Imperial County, Inyo County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Clemente Island, Santa Catalina Island, San Nicholas Island; Arizona; Baja California and Sonora, Mexico
Habitat: This fern grows in rocky, shaded locales in the desert mountains with Sonoran desert scrub. Acid igneous rock lands are utilized at Myers Creek.
Known Sites: This small fern was found growing in volcanic rock at Yaqui Pass. A second site was noted at Myers Creek near Mountain Springs. Herbarium specimens examined are from the west side of Borrego Valley, lower Box Canyon, Borrego Palm Canyon, Vallecitos Station, Bow Willow Canyon, and the east end of Pinyon Mountain Valley; also on the coast at Spring Valley and National City. Reports are from Sentenac Canyon, In-Koh-Pah Gorge; as well as a coastal site in Mission Gorge. Additional herbarium specimens seen are from Slover Mountain in San Bernardino County; Lower Pinto Wash in Imperial County; Andreas Canyon in the San Jacinto Mountains of Riverside County; and the Pinacate region of Sonora, Mexico.
Thirty-two voucher specimens from Baja California are found at the herbarium of the San Diego Natural History Museum; south to 25 11' North where collected by Moran (SD 66787) at the summit of San Diego Island.
Status: California Cloakfern is presumed stable in rugged desert terrain that is rarely developed. At present, it is not recommended for listing.
Copyright © May 1994 Craig H. Reiser.