Polypodium hesperium Maxon
western polypody
Polypodiaceae (Polypody family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Rosemary Taylor     (Photo ID #40620)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Polypodium hesperium
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Evergreen perennial from a long creeping scaly rhizome.
Leaves:
Lanceolate, 5-25 cm long, 1-5 cm wide, pinnately cleft with elongated segments, the segments entire or slightly toothed; rachis with a few scattered hairs at the upper side, close to the leaf tip.
Notes:
This is an allotetraploid species that originated from a hybrid of P. amorphum and P. glycyrrhiza.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Polypodium hesperium

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
551 5 1360
Slope Gradient (%)
52 0 170

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

184 0 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
2 0 7
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
B
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
73
Modal BEC Zone Class
ICH

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

CWH(24), ESSF(1), ICH(28), IDF(12), MH(1), MS(2), PP(3)

Habitat and Range

Dry to mesic rocks from the lowland and steppe to subalpine zones; infrequent throughout BC south of 56degreeN; E to W AB and S to CO, NM, AZ and CA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Polypodium vulgare subsp. columbianum (Gilbert) HultTn
Polypodium vulgare var. columbianum Gilbert
Polypodium vulgare var. hesperium (Maxon) A. Nels. & J.F. Macbr.