Woodsia glabella — smooth cliff fern
![Plant form: Woodsia glabella. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Woodsiaceae/woodsia-glabella-ha-ahaines-b.jpg)
![Leaf: Woodsia glabella. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Woodsiaceae/woodsia-glabella-le-ahaines-c.jpg)
![Plant form: Woodsia glabella. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Woodsiaceae/woodsia-glabella-ha-ahaines-a.jpg)
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Facts
Smooth cliff fern has a circumboreal distribution. In North America it is mainly found in Canada and Alaska, but dips into New England, where it is a rare inhabitant of high-pH cliffs. This species is distinguished from other cliff ferns by its lack of hairs.
Habitat
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
-
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
-
Leaves
- Features of leaves
- there are no special features on the leaves
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- cliffs, balds, or ledges
- ridges or ledges
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), threatened (code: T)
- Massachusetts
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- New Hampshire
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Vermont
- rare (S-rank: S2)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
2. Woodsia glabella R. Br. ex Richards. NC
smooth cliff fern. Woodsia alpina (Bolton) S.F. Gray var. glabella (R. Br. ex Richards.) D.C. Eat.; W. hyperborea R. Br. var. glabella (R. Br. ex Richards.) Watt • MA, ME, NH, VT. High-pH rock of cliffs.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Woodsia alpina:
- plants with hairs, scales, and/or stalked glands, basal leaflets narrow-ovate to triangular, leaf blades 0.5-2.5 cm wide, and petioles brown to dark brown (vs. W. glabella, with leaves without scales, basal leaflets flabellate, leaf blades 1–1.2 cm wide, and petioles green to light brown).
Synonyms
- Woodsia alpina (Bolton) S.F. Gray var. glabella (R. Br. ex Richards.) D.C. Eat.
- Woodsia hyperborea R. Br. var. glabella (R. Br. ex Richards.) Watt