Pellaea atropurpurea — purple cliff-brake
![Detail of leaf and/or divisions: Pellaea atropurpurea. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pteridaceae/pellaea-atropurpurea-ld-ahaines-b.jpg)
![Detail of leaf and/or divisions: Pellaea atropurpurea. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pteridaceae/pellaea-atropurpurea-ld-ahaines-c.jpg)
![Plant form: Pellaea atropurpurea. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pteridaceae/pellaea-atropurpurea-ha-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Leaf: Pellaea atropurpurea. ~ By Will Cook. ~ Copyright © 2024 Will Cook. ~ cwcook[at]duke.edu, carolinanature.com ~ North Carolina Plant Photos - www.carolinanature.com/plants/](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pteridaceae/pellaea-atropurpurea-le-wcook.jpg)
![Detail of leaf and/or divisions: Pellaea atropurpurea. ~ By William Cullina. ~ Copyright © 2024 William Cullina. ~ bill[at]williamcullina.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pteridaceae/pellaea-atropurpurea-ld-wcullina.jpg)
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Facts
Purple cliff-brake ranges as far south as Guatemala and as far north as New England. It is found growing from rock crevices on high-pH cliffs or occasionally in the mortar of stone walls in all New England states except Maine. It can be distinguished from its close relative slender cliff-brake (Pellaea glabella var. glabella) by the short, curly hairs on the abaxial side of the ultimate leaf segments.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), cliffs, balds, or ledges, ridges or ledges
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
-
Leaves
- Features of leaves
- there are no special features on the leaves
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- cliffs, balds, or ledges
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- ridges or ledges
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Rhode Island
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), state endangered (code: SE)
- Vermont
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Pellaea atropurpurea (L.) Link N
purple cliff-brake. Pteris atropurpurea L. • CT, MA, NH, RI, VT. High-pH cliffs, rarely on mortar of stone walls.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Pellaea glabella:
- petiole and rachis glabrous or nearly so, the abaxial surface of ultimate segments glabrous except for occasional hair-like scales near the midrib, and ultimate segments of fertile leaves mostly 5–20 mm long (vs. P. atropurpurea, with petiole, rachis, and abaxial surface of ultimate segments pubescent with short, curly hairs, and ultimate segments of fertile leaves mostly 10–75 mm long).
Synonyms
- Pteris atropurpurea L.