Petiole rounded or slightly flattened adaxially in distal portion; rachis glabrous or with a few widely scattered hairs; pinnae completely glabrous; largest ultimate segments (excluding terminal pinnae) usually more than 18 mm; spores averaging 46--53 µm diam. 2 n = 116.

Sporulating summer--fall. Cliffs and rocky slopes, on a variety of acidic substrates including quartzite and granite; 1700--2400 m; Ariz., Tex.; n Mexico.

Pellaea ternifolia subsp. arizonica and P . wrightiana hybridize; the hybrids are morphologically intermediate tetraploids and have malformed spores.