lip fern

plant

Also known as: Cheilanthes

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Related Topics:: Pteridaceae

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lip fern, (genus Cheilanthes), any of about 150 species of ferns of the genus Cheilanthes (family Pteridaceae), found in tropical and temperate regions around the world. Lip ferns are often found in dry or seasonally dry climates, and many can tolerate open rocky areas in full Sun. A few are cultivated as ornamentals in rock gardens.

Most lip ferns are small, sturdy, often evergreen plants. The leaves arise directly from the creeping or erect rhizomes and are often covered with dense hairs or scales. Spore-bearing structures (sporangia) occur at the ends of veins and are protected by the leaf margins, which curl over them.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.