Cheilanthes lanosa (Michx.) D.C. Eaton is a xerophytic fern that grows on dry, exposed rocky outcrops. Because several stages in the C. lanosa life cycle are vulnerable to desiccation, the physiological basis for the fern's survival in arid habitats is unclear. We hypothesized that C. lanosa survives its arid environment in part with the help of mycorrhizal associations, which enhance water and nutrient uptake in host plants. Although fungal symbioses rarely occur in members of the Polypodiaceae, most plants do engage in mycorrhizal associations. In this study, light microscopy was used to document the presence of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae in C. lanosa sporophytes.