Image of Mexican fern

Description:

perennial fern among shaded boulders at base of steep cliff face in a 1/2 mile long, narrow, steep walled, dry, slot canyon cut in flat lying pale, blocky, limestone strata by a intermittent arroyo tributary of Fresnal Creek in remote Hells Half-acre. Note the diomorphic foliage with 2 smaller spike-like fertile pinnae rising above larger leafy sterile fronds. Superficially resembling and often mistaken for flowering inflorescences on this uncommon fern