Myriopteris covillei – “Coville’s Lip Fern”

Also Known As: Lip Fern, Brad Fern
Other Botanical Names: Cheilanthes covillei
Family: Brake Fern (Pteridaceae)
Form: Perennial herb
Habitat: Sheltered, rocky nooks
Leaves: Pinnately-compound up to four times
Translation: “Myriopteris” is from Greek “myrios,” “many” or “unnumbered” and “pteris,” “fern” and refers to the highly divided foliage; “covillei” is named for Dr. Frederick V. Coville (1867-1937), a botanist with U.S. National Herbarium; “Cheilanthes” is Greek for “lip flower,” which refers to the shape of the membranous covering of its spore-bearing parts.
Notes: Ferns might be the last kind of plant you expect to see in the desert, but there actually are a handful of species that have adapted to the dry conditions. The spores of Coville’s Lip Fern, which are spread by the wind, still require some water to germinate. We found this specimen growing in a crevice in the rocks, just the type of spot that could protect a pocket of moisture. At first I refused to believe it was really a fern and I lost a dollar bet when I was proven wrong.
Native American Uses: The Kawaiisu made a beverage tea from the leaves and stems.