Myriopteris alabamensis (Buckley) Grusz & Windham

Alabama Lip Fern; Smooth Lip Fern

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Alabama Lip Fern is a native herbaceous perennial in the Maidenhair Fern family (Pteridaceae). It is primarily native to the northern half of Alabama. Alabama Lip Fern occurs in crevices of limestone rocks, usually in deep shade. It is a perennial with a short creeping rhizome. The rhizome is covered in persistent brown scales which are linear-lanceolate, distantly toothed, straight or slightly contorted, and loosely pressed against the surface. Fronds are erect, clustered, and 3-20 inches in length. The blades are lanceolate to linear-oblong, 2-pinnate to 2-pinnate-pinnatifid at base, with a black petiole. The rachis is rounded, lacks scales, and has twisted, appressed hairs on the upper side, and scattered straight hairs on the lower side. The pinnae are not jointed at the base, and the dark pigmentation of the stalk enters the base of the pinnae. The basal pair of pinnae are slightly smaller than the pinnae immediately above them. The pinnae are glabrous or with a few hairs on the upper surface. Alabama Lip Fern reproduces by forming spores in sporangia located along the margins on the underside of the fertile fronds. The sporangia are covered by a false indusium formed by the edge of the leaf curling back. Alabama Lip Fern is listed as a S3 species in Alabama (typically 21 to 100 occurrences in the state) and globally as a G4 species (imperiled globally because of rarity or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors). This species was first collected from limestone rocks on the banks of the Tennessee River at the foot of Muscle Shoals in 1843 by Samuel Botsford Buckley.—A. Diamond

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Native S3 (State Rank) G4 (Global Rank)

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