On a recent family trip to Quartz Mountain I took some time out for a little botanizing (of course!). I’m really interested in the “xeric” ferns of western Oklahoma and Quartz Mountain had some awesome examples. The “Star Cloak Fern” was a new one to me and quite striking at that. The Seri people of Sonora used the leaves in a tea to promote fertility and they believed it had “supernatural value”, providing protection to those that carried some in a pouch. It’s rugged gray fronds have a distinct star pattern and curl up when dry. The grey/silver Cheilanthes (probably eatonii) fern that I found also had a rugged and striking appearance. I like all things with gray and silver foliage! I also found what I think to be Pilularia americana (pillwort). These strange ferns have no fronds and look more like grasses or spike rush. I did see what appear to be sorus looking features which lead me to my ID of this. I hope to go back in the summer sometime and see the grasses and forbs in full glory. Overall a very interesting place thats unique features create pockets of cool and somewhat rare plants.