E20161026-0002—Polypodium californicum—RPBG

Polypodium californicum—California polypody. The label in the garden calls this Polypodium californicum var. kaulfussii, but Jepson eFlora and Flora of North America says the variety has been subsumed into the species. California polypody ranges throughout coastal California into Baja California and other parts of Mexico. California polpody is in it's glory in wet winters and goes deciduous in the dry summer months. Ferns of the genus Polypodium have been used since time immemorial in folk and Native American medicines. Calfornia polypody is used mainly to treat skin ailments. The left frond shows the sori, the right is the obverse side. The plant that provided the fronds photographed resides at Regional Parks Botanic Garden located in Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley, CA.

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