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Aspidotis californica  (Hook.) Copel.
California lace fern,   California lacefern
© 2020 R.A. Chasey
© 2018 Hunter Breck
© 2021 Ron Vanderhoff
© 2022 Mark Gary
© 2021 Ron Vanderhoff
© 2023 R.A. Chasey
© 2022 R.A. Chasey
© 2022 R.A. Chasey
© 2022 R.A. Chasey
© 2020 John Schmidt
© 2019 Cara Wilcox
© 2019 Cara Wilcox
© 2023 R.A. Chasey
© 2023 R.A. Chasey
© 2023 R.A. Chasey
© 2021 Ron Vanderhoff
© 2023 R.A. Chasey
Aspidotis californica is a fern that is native to California, and found only slightly beyond California borders.
Siskiyou Del Norte Modoc Humboldt Shasta Lassen Trinity Plumas Tehama Butte Mendocino Glenn Sierra Yuba Lake Nevada Colusa Placer Sutter El Dorado Yolo Alpine Napa Sonoma Sacramento Mono Amador Solano Calaveras Tuolumne San Joaquin Marin Contra Costa Alameda Santa Cruz Mariposa Madera San Francisco San Mateo Merced Fresno Stanislaus Santa Clara Inyo San Benito Tulare Kings Monterey San Bernardino San Luis Obispo Kern Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Diego Imperial
Genus: Aspidotis
Family: Pteridaceae  
Category: fern  
PLANTS group:Fern
Jepson eFlora section: fern

Habitat: slopes

Communities: Yellow Pine Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, Valley Grassland, many plant communities

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + JEF + PLANTS

Alternate Names:
PLANTSCheilanthes californica
POWOHemionitis californica
Information about  Aspidotis californica from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
This plant is available commercially.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (ASCA5)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Range, Habitat, Leaf Description: Aspidotis californica is a species of fern known by the common name California lacefern. It is native to California and Baja California. It grows in rock cracks and crevices in many types of habitat, including Chaparral, Yellow pine forest, Foothill oak woodland, and Valley grassland. Aspidotis californica has leaves that are thin and dissected into many triangular leaflets which are subdivided into small segments with curled teeth. The leaf segments bear sori containing sporangia, with the edges of the leaves rolled under to create a false indusium over the sori. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2025. The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 04/05/2025).