Is this fern a Polystichum, or am I way off the mark? https://goo.gl/photos/KKA816XesNNWCoTB7 If it is a Polystichum, then it doesn't process well using the key in the BC Flora... I found it from a scree slope in the S. Chilcotin Mountains. Any tips on good Pacific Northwest Fern resources is welcomed. Thank you.
Yes, definitely a Polystichum. Given the distribution of the species, I'd suggest Polystichum kruckebergii, a blue-listed species.
Thanks for the replies! Actually it keyed to P. lemmonii but the distribution was weird so I thought that I best get another opinion. I will hopefully get to visit this area again soon to confirm. Perhaps not until next spring though.
If it is possibly Polystichum lemmonii, then you should submit the data to the BC Conservation Data Centre for verification: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/e...eporting/conservation-data-centre/submit-data From the records available to me, it is known so far from only one location in the province.
Thanks Daniel. That was my understanding too - that it is only known from one spot in BC. Unfortunately, I didn't gather precise geographic data when I saw this plant, though I do know exactly how to find it again. I am planning to go back to gather more information, and then I will submit it to the CDC.
Thanks, that's great! It would be a northern extension of the species range, too. It's also an area worth investigating for other things; assuming it is one of the two species mentioned so far, both are primarily associated with ultramafic soils (not too common in the province).
Looks like the global warming makes plants move farther north. Recently, I found in N Utah Cheilanthes species, which normally does not go north beyond S Utah.
Andrey, perhaps it is comfortable and trendy to use surely happening global warming as explanation for many observations, no matter if there is any causal connection. In this case i got to agree with Daniel, many small populations of herbs won't have been recorded yet in BC. This Polystichum lemmonii shall grow upon ultramafic gravel, serpentine respectively, hence this species scattered occurences. Global warming may, yes does enhance plant migration north- and upwards, still this takes time for usual, even with spore propagators. Best regards Erwin
Sorry, my mistake, didn't look close enough at linked photos. After closer look this fern is not P. lemmonii, but a descending species of. In my mind this fern represents Polystichum scopulinum, rather than P. kruckebergii, which seem to be hard to separate, at least occasionally. Hence i am not sure there will be ultramafic rocks, respectively serpentine at S Chilcotin Mountains?
