Pellaea mucronata is a species of fern known by the common name bird's foot cliffbrake.

The subspecies californica is limited to California, while ssp.

Each leaf is 7 to 45 centimeters long and is borne on a thin petiole.

It is composed of a thin, straight, brown rachis lined with widely spaced leaflets.

The smallest segment measures up to about a centimeter long and is green to dark purplish in color.