Myriopteris gracilis Fée. Slender Lipfern. Phen: Mar-Nov. Hab: Dry outcrops of calcareous sedimentary rocks (dolostone), other rock outcrops. Dist: WI, MN, SD, MT, AB, and BC south to AR, TX, NM, AZ, s. CA, and n. Mexico (Chihuahua and Coahuila); disjunct eastward in KY, w. VA, and c. NC.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: This asexual triploid species shows considerable genetic diversity, with eastern populations (driftless area of WI and MN south to MO Ozarks; and disjunct populations eastwards) forming a clade separate from more western populations (Beck, 2017, pers. comm.).

Other Comments: Known from a dolostone cliff in Pulaski County, VA, where disjunct about 450 km east of a population in Bullitt County, KY, and an additional 200 km from other populations in IL (Wieboldt & Bentley 1982, Porter & Wieboldt 1991); an additional eastern collection from 1930 has recently come to light, from Durham Co. in nc. NC (Rothfels, Sigel, & Windham 2012). The species is an apogamous triploid of unknown parentage.

Synonymy: = K3, K4, Grusz & Windham (2013); = Cheilanthes feei T.Moore – Ar, C, ETx1, FNA2, G, GrPl, Il, K1, Mo1, S13, Tx, TxFerns, Va, W, Lellinger (1985); = Hemionitis feei (T.Moore) Christenh. – Christenhusz, Fay, & Byng (2018); = n/a – RAB

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Heliophily: 7