''Polypodium calirhiza'' is a species of fern in the

polypody ''Polypodium'' is a genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Polypodioideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). The genus is widely distributed throughout the world, with the highest ...

family. Its common names include nested polypody and habit polypody. It is found in California and Oregon in the U.S., and several states of Mexico: Colima, Jalisco, Mexico State, Oaxaca, and Veracruz. The leaflets on each leaf are broad and oval-shaped, coming to a dull point. This fern is sometimes

epiphytic An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

. The name of this species is a conflation of ''

Polypodium californicum ''Polypodium'' is a genus of ferns in the family Polypodiaceae, subfamily Polypodioideae, according to the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I). The genus is widely distributed throughout the world, with the highest ...

'' and ''

Polypodium glycyrrhiza ''Polypodium glycyrrhiza'', commonly known as licorice fern, many-footed fern, and sweet root, is a summer deciduous fern native to western North America, where it is found in shaded, damp locations. Spores are located in rounded sori on the u ...

'', 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 The Coast Ranges of California span from Del Norte or Humboldt County, California, south to Santa Barbara County. The other three coastal California mountain ranges are the Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges and the Klamath Mountains. P ...

''P. calirhiza'' occurs in a number of habitats including

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. Oak woodland is widespread at lower elevations in coasta ...

s and exposed rocky

outcrop An outcrop or rocky 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 ...

s. In such oak woodlands it is often found in understory alliances with such species as the fern '' Pellaea andromedifolia'' and the

fungus A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the 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, separately from th ...

Tremella mesenterica ''Tremella mesenterica'' ( common names include yellow brain, golden jelly fungus, yellow trembler, and witches' butter) is a common jelly fungus in the family Tremellaceae of the Agaricomycotina. It is most frequently found on dead but attached ...

''.C. Michael Hogan. 2008
''Witch's Butter: Tremella mesenterica'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg

References

External links

''Polypodium calirhiza'' - Photo gallery
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7226773 calirhiza Ferns of the Americas Ferns of the United States Flora of Colima Flora of Jalisco Flora of the State of Mexico Flora of Oaxaca Flora of Veracruz Ferns of California Ferns of Mexico Flora of Oregon Flora of California Flora of the Klamath Mountains Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the Central Valley (California) Natural history of the San Francisco Bay Area Plants described in 1991 Epiphytes