My Study Guide for the California Botany Certification Test

KEY

terrestrial plant with no flowers or bulbs sporangia present

Herbs reproducing by spores released directly from sporangia, the sporangia variously located [on abaxial leaf  face, [LYCOPHYTES and FERNS]

veins free-fused

leaf blade deltate-ovate, sori generally ± sunken, round to generally ovate

DESCRIPTION

California native perennial fern grows in shaded places, cliff bluffs,rocks, not on plants, usually granite or volcanic. Summer deciduous

Rhizome: long-creeping, lanceolate brown scales,

Petiole/Stipe

Blade: deltate to ovate, midrib adaxially hairy, segments serrate, tips obtuse to acute, veins generally 10--50% fused. 

Sori: exindusiate, sunken, round to generally ovate, somtimes has glandular hairs, yellow spores

family dgined by sori exindusiate

Funfact: The genus is mainly epiphytic , meaning grows on rocks and trees of the ground. Poly pod means many foot describe the knobby foot/base they usually have obvioius in species like staghorn ferns. The genus polypod is also distinguished by having exindusiate sori

SOURCES AND MORE INFORMATION

Plant Systemiatc, Michael G

KEY

Aquatic plant with no flowers or bulbs, sporangia present

Plant body various,  leaves various, plant free-floating, emergent, or submersed

Plant raft-like, free-floating on water surface or stranded along shore or in drying bottom sediments, breaking apart into individuals or small clumps

Plant body differentiated into a short, often branched stem with small, minutely velvety-papillate, scale-like leaves

Leaves 0.5–1.5 mm, alternate [each with a thick green or ± red-tinged floating lobe and a thin, colorless submersed lobe]; upper surface of floating lobe papillate or with short, inconspicuous hairs [Azollaceae]

Stems  forming round to elongate plants to 3 cm, 2 cm wide; leaves ovate or oblong-ovate, generally 1.2–2 mm, 1 mm wide; leaf margins of upper (± green or ± red) leaf lobes with broad ± white band of cells >= 4 cells wide; male spore mass barbs lacking partitions

DESCRIPTION

Annual Fern, California Native, usually found in ponds and slow streams. Small free floating fern on mud/water roots. Green to +- red. with white margins ,round to elongate plants to 3 cm, 2 cm wide.

Roots Rhizome: roots hang in water, form dense clump

Stem: fork, pinnate thread like, generally 1--3 cm: immature prostrate, internodes < 5 mm;

Leaf: small overlapping scale like leaves cover stem, leaf has sublte papillae, green-red

Sporangium Case: clear yellowish orb, female with distinct equatorial girdle, wall tubercled and pitted. male spores mass barbs lacking partition

Fun facts: Used as green manure in rice paddies because of nitrogen-fixing algae (cyanobacterium Ananbaena Azollae) in upper leaf lobe. Made fossil fuels and can double it mass in 3 day

SOURCES AND MORE INFORMATION

Jepson eflora Azolla filiculoides

Integrated Taxonomic Information System - Report

Calscape Mosquito Fern

Wildflower Search

KEY

terrestrial plant with no flowers or bulbs sporangia present

Herbs reproducing by spores released directly from sporangia, the sporangia variously located [on abaxial leaf  face, [LYCOPHYTES and FERNS]

Plant terrestrial l; leaf 1-2 pinnate,; sporangia borne on aerial portion of leaf

Leaves all alike or nearly so, the fertile [sporangium-bearing] blades very similar in size and shape to sterile blades sporangia borne on underside of leaf  blade, new leaves generally coiled, unrolling as they develop

Sori borne away from margin on underside of leaf  or leaflet, sporangia clustered in distinct sori; indusia present

Sori ± round

Blade without needle-like hairs

Indusium peltate  or round-reniform, attached ± in center of sorus , generally present and readily observable in late-season specimens ..... DRYOPTERIDACEAE

- Indusium peltate , centrally attached, without a sinus

- Veins generally free, rarely ± joined; leaf 1–3-pinnate, teeth, generally including bristle-like tips, &lt; 4 mm ..... POLYSTICHUM

-Leaf generally 1-pinnate, rarely to partly 2-pinnate; pinnae generally simple, ± entire to serrate, in Polystichum kruckebergii sometimes 1-lobe

Leaf 10–120(200) cm; pinnae simple

Proximal pinnae ovate to lanceolate , ± = to ± 2/3 longest; stipe generally 1/5–1/2 blade

Stipe base scales lanceolate, ± 2–3 mm wide, those above proximal pinnae generally < 1 mm wide, falling early; pinnae ± in 1 plane or not; indusium ± entire to toothed ..... P. imbricans

DESCRIPTION

Rhizome: generally suberect to erect, often stout

Stipe/petiole: generally 1/5--1/2 of blade Stout, firm, generally densely scaly, base scales +- 2--3 mm wide, lanceolate, those above proximal pinnae generally, ×-section with many round vascular strands in an arc.

Blade: narrow-lanceolate to -elliptic, 1-pinnate,, proximal pinnae reduced or not, thin to leathery, scaly, veins generally free, rarely +- jointed; pinna bases often wider acroscopically; teeth, generally including bristle-like tip

Sporangia: sori round; indusium peltate [0 or reniform], sinus 0. indusium +- entire to toothed

SOURCES AND MORE INFORMATION

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=17681#null

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=POIM

https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=10784

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/58763-Polystichum-imbricans

https://calphotos.berkeley.edu

https://www.instagram.com/p/CeFidZIrKxT/

https://wildflowersearch.org/search

KEY

terrestrial plant with no flowers or bulbs sporangia present

Herbs reproducing by spores released directly from sporangia, the sporangia variously located [on abaxial leaf  face, [LYCOPHYTES and FERNS]

Plant terrestrial l; leaf 1-2 pinnate,; sporangia borne on aerial portion of leaf

Leaves all alike or nearly so, the fertile [sporangium-bearing] blades very similar in size and shape to sterile blades sporangia borne on underside of leaf  blade, new leaves generally coiled, unrolling as they develop

Sori borne away from margin on underside of leaf  or leaflet, sporangia clustered in distinct sori; indusia present

Sori ± round

Blade without needle-like hairs

Indusium peltate  or round-reniform, attached ± in center of sorus , generally present and readily observable in late-season specimens ..... DRYOPTERIDACEAE

    - Indusium round-reniform, ± centrally attached at a sinus.., DRYOPTERIS

      -- Leaf 1–2-pinnate, proximal pinnae <= others, sides ± equal

       -- Stipe generally > 1/3 leaf  length; longest pinnae generally near blade  base; veins into segment teeth, adaxially obscure; scales of pinna  midribs lance-ovate to lanceolate ; blade, indusial glands sparse to ± dense; blades thick; ..... D. arguta

DESCRIPTION

Rhizome: anchored in soil or rocky crevices, short and creeping with large scales

Stipe/petiole: firm, base generally darker, with many vascular strands, suberect, or erect, Stipe generally > 1/3 leaf  length

Blade: fertile and sterile alike, 1-2 pinnate,  Leaf: 1-2 pinnate, longest leaflets at the base near blade base,  abaxial veins fork into segment teeth teeth

Sporangia: Round Sori born away from margin on underside of leaf.  indusium  round-reniform (kidney shaped), centrally attached at a sinus 

SOURCES AND MORE INFORMATION

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=17521#null

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=DRAR3

https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=23524

https://calscape.org/loc-California/Dryopteris%20arguta%20(Coastal%20Wood%20Fern)

https://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/specieslist.cgi?namesoup=Dryopteris+arguta&countylist=any&plantcomm=any&format=photos&orderby=taxon

https://www.instagram.com/p/CICVtOMJJkB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+1107+0437

native

Key

terrestrial plant with no flowers or bulbs sporangia present

Herbs reproducing by spores released directly from sporangia, the sporangia variously located [on abaxial leaf  face, [LYCOPHYTES and FERNS]

Plant terrestrial or strongly emergent if in wet soil; leaf 3 pinnate, ; sporangia borne on aerial portion of leaf

 Leaves all alike or nearly so, the fertile [sporangium-bearing] blades very similar in size and shape to sterile blades ; sporangia borne on underside of leaf  blade, sori at ot near margin; new leaves generally coiled, unrolling as they develop

 indusia 0 or sori covered by reflexed  or recurved  leaf margin or leaf margin segment

Pinnae [some or all of them] conspicuously toothed, lobed, or compound

Rhizome and base of petiole  covered by hairs; rhizome  long-creeping; leaf  often > 80 cm, sometimes >= 2 m — blade  widely triangular, 2–4-pinnate ..... DENNSTAEDTIACEAE

Description

Rhizome,  generally deep uderground, long-creeping, 

Stipe/Petiole: black near base, with dense, +- brown hairs

Blades: fertile and sterile alike, widely-triangular, leathery, 3 pinnate, veins free except at fertile margins,  lower pinnae/leaflets  generally longest,  segments or lobes wide, oblong, round at tip, hairs abaxially, sometimes adaxially, generally dense, straight

Sporangia: marginal, continuous till tip, on connecting veins covered by false indusium 

Sources and More information

Plants of the World online

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ptaq

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=17224#null

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PTAQ

https://www.instagram.com/p/CH-AGwMg9xf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Jepson Manual Key

Jepson Manual 

Calscape

Calflora

This one is different should be reliable but has different information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ94VrEl7hE 

KEY

terrestrial plant with no flowers or bulbs sporangia present

Herbs reproducing by spores released directly from sporangia, the sporangia variously located [on abaxial leaf  face, [LYCOPHYTES and FERNS]

Leaves with well developed blades; veins many

Plant terrestrial or strongly emergent if in wet soil,  leaf  1pinnate,  sporangia borne on aerial portion of leaf

 Leaves all alike or nearly so, the fertile [sporangium-bearing] blades very similar in size and shape to sterile blades. 

 sporangia borne on underside of leaf  blade in distinct sori. Sori borne away from margin on underside of leaf  or leaflet new leaves generally coiled, unrolling as they develop

 indusia present

. Veins of leaf  segment forming a network; sori generally 2–4 mm, linear-oblong, end-to-end in rows parallel to midvein of leaf segment — leaves 1 pinnate  with deeply pinnately lobed pinnae

Blade 1-pinnate, pinnae deeply pinnately lobed; leaves of ± 1 kind; sori many per lobe , oblong , 2–4 × longer than wide, end-to-end along each side of lobe midrib, some oblong to linear along costa also

DESCRIPTION

Perennial Fern, California Native, Evergreen found near streams, springs, seeps

Rhizome: short and stubby. 

Stipe/Petiole: has oragne/brown-straw colored scales

Leaf blade is 1pinnate with leaflet/pinnae deeply pinnately lobed. Has netted venation. Fronds 6-8ft. Pinnae biggest and middle, reduced lower and higher

Sori are oblong and line  up end to end along both side of midrib. It looks like a chain stitch pattern

Taco shaped indusium covers sporangium on the sorus

Sources

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIWDwvBF0Cg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://www.instagram.com/p/B77JtXlgInd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/315846/

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=17750#null

Plant Profile for Woodwardia fibriata (giant chainfern)

https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM_keys/IJM_fam_key.html

Woodwardia fimbriata

https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/family/blechnaceae/

calscape

perennial fern

kEY

Plant body various, but not consisting of a jointed, hollow-stemmed central axis

Plant generally anchored in mud

Leaf NOT  peltate , cordate , sagittate , or deeply notched

Leaves all basal  or basal and cauline on a generally erect , generally emergent stem, sometimes from rhizome  or corm-like base anchored in bottom sediments

Leaves petioled, with expanded blades

Leaf to compound

Leaf palmate ; leaflets 4

DESCRIPTION

 petioles:6-35 cm 

leaflets: concave, distil margin convex 

Sporangium: not bent near tip, Distal tooth of sporangium case acute

SOURCES AND MORE INFORMATION

https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM_keys/IJM_key_Group2.html

https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=17998#null

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=MAVE2

https://calscape.org/Marsilea-vestita-()

https://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/specieslist.cgi?namesoup=Marsilea+vestita&countylist=any&plantcomm=any&format=photos&orderby=taxon

https://wildflowersearch.org/search?oldstate=&buttonName=none&hab=&Elev=&Submit=Submit+Values&PlantName=Marsilea+vestita