It is distinguished by the pentagonal shape formed by the blades of its frond, a property other members of Notholaena do not possess.

He named it after Standley, who had engaged in a great deal of field study in the southwestern United States.

Standley was also collaborating with E. O. Wooton to develop a comprehensive Flora of New Mexico at the time.

[1] Notholaena standleyi is indigenous to southwestern United States and parts of north and central Mexico.

[2] Notholaena standleyi is a perennial species that typically grows in desert regions at elevations from 300 to 2100 m.[3] It is found on rocky hillsides, usually in the crevices created by limestone and granite boulders that provide the partial shade the plant prefers.

During periods of drought, the frond may curl and become brown until water is available, an adaptation to the semi-arid environments it inhabits.

The species was also believed to have supernatural value; the Seri carried in a small cloth bag to bring good luck to the bearer.