Plant Data Sheet
Species : Cheilanthes gracillima, Lace Lip Fern
Range:
Climate, elevation: Hardy to -25°C, USDA Zone 5.
Local occurrence: Counties of
Habitat preferences: Cliffs and rocky slopes, usually on igneous substrates: In drier areas in cliff crevices
Plant strategy type/successional stage: growth stage forb/herb
Associated species: Closest to C.
tomentosa, but less divided and sparsely
hairy on the upper blade surface.
May be
collected as: After ripening and releasing
their spores, the sporangia look fuzzy and slightly pale. Ripe sporangia have the
most intense color and look firm or very slightly fuzzy. Place a portion of the
fern frond having ripe sporangia in a loosely closed white paper mailing
envelope and let dry at room temperature for about 2 days. Sporangia is brown to black
or gray. Spores are viable for a year or more. Their
viability can be extended by keeping the spores in the refrigerator (about
40ºF).
Collection restrictions or
guidelines: Sporulating summer--fall
Seed germination: Sow into prepared soil. Gametophytes (prothallia) first appear usually in 2 to 4 weeks.
Seed life:short life, need to be sowed within a few days of gathering
Recommended seed storage conditions: refrigerate 40 degrees F
Propagation recommendations
: Separate spores from chaff by putting the shed
mixture on a paper square and tapping while tilting the paper; the spores stay
behind while the chaff bounces forward. Better separation by
sifting the mixture through a fine stainless steel mesh (40um openings).
Use the spatula or brush to pick up or brush off spores into sowing container.
Sow thinly so that crowding does not require transplanting (drop from about 2
inches a volume of spores equivalent to approximately
1/64th of an inch cubed). Be sure not to open the sowing container for more
than a few seconds. Need to sow in closed container.
Soil or medium
requirements: use a 50-50 mixture, by dry
uncompressed volume, of Canadian peat moss (sometimes sieved through 1/8th inch
screen) and washed sand having 1/16th inch grain size. Crushed perlite of the same size can be substituted for sand. Perlite has some advantages: it holds water, it reflects
light, it might have less contaminants than sand and
it usually crushes instead of denting or scratching.
Installation form: Plant fronds when viable
Recommended planting density: not available
Care requirements after installed: If the sowing container is sealed, no watering is necessary.. If watering is necessary, mist with distilled water; or
if growth is yellow, add 1/4 strength nitrogen rich fertilizer. Gametophytes (prothallia) first appear usually in 2 to 4 weeks. The first
fronds (sporophytes) appear about 6 to 12 weeks later
(up to a year later for some species). Since fern fertilization requires liquid
water, Mist with distilled water when the gametophytes are about 1/8th inch
across.
Normal rate of growth or
spread; lifespan: not available
Sources cited:
1. Flora of
2. Hardy Fern Library
http://www.hardyfernlibrary.com/ferns/listSpecies.cfm?Auto=175
3.
USDA: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CHGR
4.
“Raising Ferns from Spores”, Brian Aikins, brian@greatnorthern.net: *source
of most of the propagation information, since no specific information seems to
be available for this plant
Prepared
by : Maura Shelton
May 25,2006