Smooth Woodsia
Woodsia glabella R.Br.
Woodsia glabella, known as Smooth Woodsia or smooth cliff fern, is a homosporous fern in the family Woodsiaceae. It is an obligate lithophyte, growing in rocky habitats across the Holarctic realm. The species is characterized by its glabrous (hairless) surfaces, as indicated by its name, which is derived from the Latin word 'glaber'. It is found at altitudes up to 1500–3000 m.
Description
Woodsia glabella is a fern species native to regions including Greenland, North and Central European Russia, East European Russia, British Columbia, Alaska, Alberta, Inner Mongolia, China, Japan, and parts of Siberia. It was first described in 1823 by Robert Brown. The plant is adapted to rocky environments and is often found on cliffs or exposed rock surfaces. Its distribution spans a wide range of northern temperate and boreal regions, and it is known for its ability to thrive in high-altitude and cold climates. The species is distinguished by its lack of hairs on the fronds and rhizomes, a feature reflected in its scientific name.
Other common names
Smooth Woodsia
Distribution
GL · Vermont-US · Alaska · Alberta · Altay · Amur · British Columbia · Buryatiya · Central European Rus · China North-Central · China South-Central · Chita · East European Russia · Finland · Greenland · Inner Mongolia · Irkutsk · Japan · Kamchatka · Khabarovsk · Korea · Krasnoyarsk · Labrador · Magadan · Maine · Manchuria · Manitoba · Massachusetts · Minnesota · Mongolia