''Pentagramma'' is a small genus of North American

fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...

s in the family

Pteridaceae Pteridaceae is a family of ferns in the order Polypodiales, including some 1150 known species in ca 45 genera (depending on taxonomic opinions), divided over five subfamilies. The family includes four groups of genera that are sometimes recogni ...

. Until 1990 members of this genus were included in ''

Pityrogramma ''Pityrogramma'', the silverback ferns, or goldback ferns, is a fern genus in the subfamily Pteridoideae of the family Pteridaceae. Species , ''Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database pu ...

'', and there has been considerable disagreement regarding the species' taxonomy. In the most recent treatment, six diploid species are recognized. The distribution of ''P. triangularis'' (goldback fern) extends from

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

through the western United States into Baja California in northwestern Mexico.C.Michael Hogan, ed. 2010.
‘’Pentagramma triangularis’’ . Encyclopedia of Life.
/ref> ''Pentagramma maxonii'' occurs in New Mexico, Arizona, Sonora, Baja California Sur, California, and Baja California. All other species are restricted to California and Baja California. Members of the genus ''Pentagramma'' produce a powdery-waxy secretion on their lower leaf surfaces, called

farina Farina may refer to: Places * Farina, South Australia, a former town in outback South Australia * Farina, Illinois, a village in the United States * Farina railway station, a former railway station on the Central Australian Railway, South Australi ...

. This character is shared with the related genus ''

Notholaena ''Notholaena'' is a genus of ferns known as cloak ferns in the family Pteridaceae. Species of this genus are mostly epipetric (growing on rock) or occurring in coarse, gravelly soils, and are most abundant and diverse in the mountain ranges of wa ...

''and other members of the

Cheilanthoideae Cheilanthoideae is one of the five subfamilies of the fern family Pteridaceae. The subfamily is understood to be monophyletic, but some of the genera as currently defined are not. Most species are xeric-adapted, and the subfamily is most diverse ...

Species

, the ''Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World'' recognized the following species: *''

Pentagramma glanduloviscida ''Pentagramma'' is a small genus of North American ferns in the family Pteridaceae. Until 1990 members of this genus were included in ''Pityrogramma'', and there has been considerable disagreement regarding the species' taxonomy. In the most rece ...

'' Schuettp. & Windham *''

Pentagramma maxonii ''Pentagramma'' is a small genus of North American ferns in the family Pteridaceae. Until 1990 members of this genus were included in ''Pityrogramma'', and there has been considerable disagreement regarding the species' taxonomy. In the most rece ...

'' (Weath.) Schuettp. & Windham *''

Pentagramma pallida ''Pentagramma'' is a small genus of North American ferns in the family Pteridaceae. Until 1990 members of this genus were included in ''Pityrogramma'', and there has been considerable disagreement regarding the species' taxonomy. In the most rece ...

'' (Weath.) Yatsk., Windham & E. Wollenw. *''

Pentagramma rebmanii ''Pentagramma'' is a small genus of North American ferns in the family Pteridaceae. Until 1990 members of this genus were included in ''Pityrogramma'', and there has been considerable disagreement regarding the species' taxonomy. In the most rece ...

'' (Winner & M. G. Simpson) Schuettp. & Windham *''

Pentagramma triangularis ''Pentagramma'' is a small genus of North American ferns in the family Pteridaceae. Until 1990 members of this genus were included in ''Pityrogramma'', and there has been considerable disagreement regarding the species' taxonomy. In the most rece ...

'' (Kaulf.) Yatsk., Windham & E. Wollenw. *'' Pentagramma viscosa'' (Nutt. ex D. C. Eaton) Schuettp. & Windham

References

External links

Jepson Manual TreatmentUSDA Plants Profile: ''Pentagramma''
Pteridaceae Ferns of California Fern genera {{Pteridaceae-stub