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Polypodium hesperium  Maxon
Western polypody
© 2011 Ryan Batten
© 2011 Ryan Batten
© 2011 Barry Breckling
Polypodium hesperium is a fern that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in North America and beyond.
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: Polypodium
Family: Polypodiaceae  
Category: fern  
PLANTS group:Fern
Jepson eFlora section: fern

Communities: Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest
Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + PLANTS + POWO

Alternate Names:
PLANTSPolypodium vulgare ssp. columbianum
JEF + PLANTSPolypodium vulgare var. columbianum
PLANTSPolypodium vulgare var. hesperium
Information about  Polypodium hesperium from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
Commercial availability unknown.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (POHE3)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Allopolyploid Species, Description: This is an allopolyploid species of hybrid origin, its parent species being Polypodium glycyrrhiza and Polypodium amorphum. This polypody anchors with a thin, scaly rhizome. It produces oblong leaves 25 to 35 centimetres (9.8 to 13.8 in) in maximum length and 7 cm (2.8 in) in width. Each leaf is made up of many dull-pointed linear or lance-shaped segments which may be thin and membranous or firm and leathery in texture, and smooth or serrated on the edges. The underside of each leaf segment has a few brownish, reddish, or nearly black sori, which contain the spores. (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: 04/06/2025).