Last November I went to Pinnacles National Park. I found many ferns, most of which were Goldback Fern (Pentagramma triangularis, pictured below).
We also saw Coffee Fern (Pellaea andromedifolia) and Bird’s Foot Fern (Pellaea mucronata) growing in the sandy soils around the Pinnacles.
I was surprised to find so much Giant Chain Fern (Woodwardia fimbriata), because this fern usually requires a lot of water, but it grew in the streams that ran through Pinnacles and near the waterfalls created by the giant rock formations.
Of course, there were no ferns growing inside the caves, but they did grow in the crevices outside.
Beautiful lichen grew on the rocks at the top of the Pinnacles!
Photo credits: Helen Holmlund (except for featured image, Sabrina Shirazi)
Holmlund Lab 