Woodsia neomexicana
Woodsia neomexicana Windham
(of New Mexico, where the type was collected)
Local names: New Mexico cliff fern
An allotetraploid species morphologically similar to the diploid W. phillipsii (thought to be one of its parents), distinguished as in the key; spores 44–52 μm; 2n = 152 (tetraploid) (Windham 1993d). Cliffs and rocky slopes usually in crevices, typically on igneous or sandstone substrates; Brewster (e.g., Correll 13643A, BRIT, TEX-LL, both annotated M. Windham), Culberson (Correll 13911, BRIT, Guadalupe Mts.), El Paso (Correll 13791, BRIT, Hueco Tanks), Jeff Davis (e.g., Correll 33688, TEX-LL, Warnock 15722, SRSC, both annotated M. Windham), Presidio (Correll 13746, TEX-LL, Warnock 19239, SRSC, PARATYPE, both annotated M. Windham), and Hudspeth (Yarborough & Powell 2002) cos. in the Trans-Pecos; AZ, CO, NM, w OK, and TX, with disjunct occurrences in c OK and SD; also n Mexico. Sporulating summer–fall. [W. Mexicana of authors, not Fee] This species was only relatively recently recognized as distinct (Windham 1993e). In the past it and W. phillipsii were both often identified as W. Mexicana (e.g., Correll 1956), which is a related species endemic to Mexico. Woodsia neomexicana is an allotetraploid thought to be derived from W. phillipsii and another diploid parent. It is morphologically similar to W. phillipsii, is sometimes difficult to distinguish without magnification, and can be distinguished most dependably by spore size. Triploid hybrids with W. phillipsii are known (Windham 1993d) with several TX collections (L.C. Hinckley 1122, Jeff Davis Co.; E.G. Marsh 259a, Correll 13639, Brewster Co., all TEX-LL; Warnock 9737, Brewster Co., E.J. Palmer 32026a, Jeff Davis Co., both SRSC) identified as such hybrids by M.D. Windham.