General: Monomorphic leaves clustered on stem 6-40 cm, stem compact, ascending, stout, 5-10 mm in diameter; sparsely villous croziers. Leaves: On dark brown petiole, lustrous, flattened or slightly grooved above; blade, linear oblong, 2-pinnate below, 1.5-5 cm wide; rachis brown throughout, straight, shallowly grooved above, glabrous; pinnae perpendicular to rachis or slightly ascending, usually with 3-9 ultimate segments; straight costae, 2-20 mm, usually shorter than ultimate segments, which are narrowly oblong, 5-20 mm, leathery and glabrous; margins recurved on fertile segments, covering less than half the lower surface, apex mucronate, borders whitish and crenulate. Sporangia: Long-stalked with 64 spores, sori concealed beneath the reflexed margins. Ecology: Found on rocky slopes and cliffs on acidic to mildly basic substrates from 3,000-8,000 ft (914-2438 m); sporulates summer-fall. Notes: Distinguished from other Pellaea by the linear to lanceolate blades. But with the hybridization of this species, it is difficult to really tell it apart from some of them. Collect if you are not sure. Etymology: Pellaea is from the Greek pellaios, dark, alluding to the stalk, while wrightiana is named for Charles C. Wright (1811-1885) an American botanical explorer and collector who worked for Asa Gray

Sabino Canyon Recreation Area.
Location: Tram Road before first bridge.
1/17/17

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