About Woodsia alpina (Bolton) Gray
Woodsia alpina (Bolton) Gray, commonly called alpine woodsia, is also known by the common names northern woodsia and alpine cliff fern. This fern occurs at northern latitudes across North America and Eurasia. It typically grows in crevices, scree slopes, and cliffs made of slate and calcareous rocks, especially limestone. Its distribution is circumpolar. In North America, it grows across most of northern and western Canada, as well as in the coastal areas of Greenland. In the United States, the species is classified as threatened or endangered in Maine, Vermont, Michigan, and New York. It can be found in multiple European countries, including Norway and Sweden. Across Asia, it has a scattered distribution, with notable large populations in the Ural and Altai mountains. In the United Kingdom, it only grows in Angus, Perthshire, and Argyll in Scotland, and in north Wales. In Scotland, where it sits at the edge of its natural range, Woodsia alpina is considered near threatened. It has been a protected species in the UK since 1975 under the Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act.
