Myriopteris covillei, formerly known as Cheilanthes covillei, is a species of cheilanthoid fern known by the common name Coville's lip fern. Coville's lip fern is native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. Description This fern has dark to medium green leaves (fronds) which may be up to 4-pinnate (made up of leaflets that subdivide up to 3 times), such that the leaflets are layered with overlapping rounded segments. The leaves as a whole have a bumpy, cobbled look when viewed from above. The edges of the leaflets are curled under (forming a false indusium) and their undersides have wide scales which are lengthened outgrowths of the epidermis. Tucked under the scales and false indusium are the sporangia, which make the spores. Myriopteris covillei can be distinguished from its very similar relative Myriopteris intertexta by the scales on the underside of the leaflets. These scales are up to 3 mm wide at their base in M. covillei, giving them an elongated triangular papery appearance, whereas those of M. intertexta are 1 mm wide, appearing more like a flattened thread. Range and Habitat Coville's lip fern is native to California, Baja California, Arizona, Oregon, and Utah. It grows in rocky crevices in the mountains and foothills. In California it is found in chaparral, yellow pine forest, pinyon-juniper woodland, and Joshua tree woodland habitats. Taxonomy Based on plastid DNA sequence, Myriopteris covillei is part of Myriopteris clade C (covillei clade) and is most closely related to Myriopteris clevelandii and Myriopteris gracillima. In addition, Myriopteris covillei is one of the parents of the fertile allotetraploid Myriopteris intertexta. References Works cited External links Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Myriopteris covillei — formerly Cheilanthes covillei. UC Photos gallery — Cheilanthes covillei covillei Ferns of California Ferns of Mexico Ferns of the United States Flora of Arizona Flora of Baja California Flora of Oregon Flora of Utah Flora of the California desert regions Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States) Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the Mojave Desert Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges Natural history of the Santa Monica Mountains Natural history of the Transverse Ranges Plants described in 1918