Click on any image to open the slideshow
Pecluma plumula
Plume Polypody
Plumed Rockcap Fern
Synonym(s): Polypodium plumula
Florida native
Endangered Florida species
An occasional fern on trees, rocks or seldom on the ground in wet hammocks and swamps of the Florida peninsula, more widespread in the north and central peninsula. Also found in Puerto Rico.
The fronds are 1.5-5dm (6 to 20 in.) long, closely set along the brown-scaly stem. The rachis is black with whitish to brownish lanceolate scales. The pinnatifed blade is 15-25cm (6 to 10 in.) long or longer deeply cut into more than 20 pairs of closely set blunt segmented lobes that are sometimes comb-like (pectinate). Each minutely hairy segment is up to 3mm (1/8 in.) wide with obscure singly-forked veins. The small sori are positioned about halfway between the midrib and the margins of each segment.
Much like resurrection fern, plume polypody is known to shrivel up during drought and revive with rain.
Pecluma plumula is a member of the Polypodiaceae - Polypody family.
Other species of the Pecluma genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Pecluma ptilota var. bourgeauana - COMB POLYPODY
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Nov 24, 2022
