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Native Plant Trust: Go Botany Discover thousands of New England plants

Woodsia ilvensis — rusty cliff fern

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New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Facts

The silvery white undersides of rusty cliff fern's fronds turn a rusty color in the fall.

Habitat

Cliffs, balds, or ledges, ridges or ledges, talus and rocky slopes

Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf divisions
  • the leaf blade is compound (divided into leaflets)
  • the leaf blade is twice compound (divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets)
Plant growth form
the leaves grow from a rhizome growing at or below the ground
Spore-bearing leaflets
the spore-bearing fronds are similar in size and shape to the sterile fronds
Sorus shape
the sori are circular or kidney-shaped
Leaf stalk scales
the leaf stalk has scales
Leaf stalk hairs
the leaf stalk has hairs
Leaf blade length
5–15 cm
Leaf vein tips
the veins end in small round expanded areas, and do not reach the edge of the leaf blade
Show all characteristics

  • Growth form

    Life form
    the plant is herbaceous and terrestrial
    Life stage
    the plant is visible as a typical leaf-bearing fern (sporophyte)
    Spore-bearing leaflets
    the spore-bearing fronds are similar in size and shape to the sterile fronds

  • Leaves

    Features of leaves
    • the leaves are hairy, with hairs that branch into four branches near the tip
    • there are no special features on the leaves
    Leaf blade length
    5–15 cm
    Leaf blade shape
    the leaf blades are widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip (lanceolate)
    Leaf blade tip shape
    • the tip of the leaf blade is a sharp point (acute)
    • the tip of the leaf blade is rounded
    Leaf blade width
    At least 1 cm
    Leaf divisions
    • the leaf blade is compound (divided into leaflets)
    • the leaf blade is twice compound (divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets)
    Leaf lifespan
    the leaves drop off in winter
    Leaf stalk color
    red or red-brown to purple or black
    Leaf stalk hairs
    the leaf stalk has hairs
    Leaf stalk length
    17–125 mm
    Leaf stalk relative length
    • the leaf stalk is more than a quarter, but less than three quarters as long as the blade
    • the leaf stalk is more than three quarters as long as the blade
    Leaf stalk scale location
    the scales are present on both the lower and upper halves of the leaf stalk
    Leaf stalk scales
    the leaf stalk has scales
    Leaf stalk vessels
    2 bundles
    Leaf vein branching
    the secondary veins of the leaf blade branch dichotomously (two equal branches at each branch point)
    Leaf vein tips
    the veins end in small round expanded areas, and do not reach the edge of the leaf blade
    Leaflet relative size
    the bottom leaflets are about half as long as, to slightly longer than, the leaflets from the middle of the frond
    Leaflet stalks
    the leaflets do not have stalks
    Lobe or leaflet length
    4–20 mm
    Lobe or leaflet pairs
    7–23
    Lobe or leaflet shape
    • the lobe or leaflet is roughly triangular with the stalk in the center of the narrowest side (narrow-triangular)
    • the lobe or leaflet is roughly triangular with the stalk in the center of the widest side (broad-triangular)
    • the lobe or leaflet is widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends; egg-shaped
    • the lobe or leaflet is widest below the middle and tapering at both ends; lance-shaped
    Lobe or leaflet width
    3–11 mm
    Plant growth form
    the leaves grow from a rhizome growing at or below the ground
    final leaf segment margin
    • the topmost lobe or leaflet of the leaf blade has a smooth or lobed edge
    • the topmost lobe or leaflet of the leaf blade has an edge with teeth

  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • cliffs, balds, or ledges
    • ridges or ledges
    • talus or rocky slopes

  • Spores or spore cones

    Sorus features
    there are no special features on the sorus
    Sorus shape
    the sori are circular or kidney-shaped
    Sporangia location
    the spores are clustered on sori on the lower surface of the leaf blade
    Sporangium type
    the sporangia are opaque without an annulus and usually without a stalk (leptosporangiate)
    Spore forms
    there is only one type of spore present

Wetland status

Not classified

New England distribution and conservation status

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
widespread (S-rank: S5)
Rhode Island
historical (S-rank: SH), state historical (code: SH)

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Cheilanthes lanosa:
sori located on the margin, covered by a false indusium, and petioles not articulated (vs. W. ilvenis, with sori not located on the margin, covered by an inferior indusium that disintegrates into filaments, and petioles articulated).
Woodsia alpina:
leaflets glabrous or nearly so on the abaxial surface, though scales may be present on the rachis and costae, the larger leaflets with 2 or 3 pairs of leafules, and indusium composed of few filaments (vs. W. ilvensis, with leaflets with scales on the abaxial surface, the larger leaflets with 4–7 pairs of leafules, and indusium composed of many filaments).

Synonyms

  • Acrostichum ilvense L.

Family

Woodsiaceae

Genus

Woodsia

Help

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae

3.  Woodsia ilvensis (L.) R. Br. N

rusty cliff fern. Acrostichum ilvense L. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Cliffs and talus slopes, including xeric substrates.

1×3. Woodsia alpina × Woodsia ilvensis → Woodsia ×‌gracilis (Lawson) Butters is a rare, abortive-spored hybrid known from ME, VT . Compared with W. alpina, this hybrid fern tends to be larger, with more hairs and scales, and with leaflets more divided and with more pairs of leafules (often more than 3). Compared with W. ilvensis, this nothospecies tends to be smaller, with fewer hairs and scales, and with leaflets less divided.