Associations
provided by BioImages, the virtual fieldguide, UK
In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
amphigenous, effuse colony of Curvularia dematiaceous anamorph of Curvularia crepinii parasitises live leaf of Ophioglossum vulgatum
Remarks: season: 7-8
Brief Summary
provided by Ecomare
Adder's tongue doesn't look much like a fern. It is made up of a single leaf and a stem-like stalk, which carries the spores. The spore-bearing stalk resembles the tongue of a snake, which is where the name comes from. When the stalk is mature, it extends beyond the leaf blade. The stalk is made up of segments, between 10-40 on each side. In some years, no stalk and therefore no spores are formed. Just like mushrooms, the plant itself is underground and often produces a leaf. But years can go by when no leaf is seen.
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Comments
provided by eFloras
In addition to characteristics given in the key, Ophioglossum vulgatum differs from O . pusillum in having an unusually persistent leathery basal leaf sheath (B.W. McAlpin 1971; W.H. Wagner Jr. 1971b) rather than an ephemeral one and in having smaller spores (mostly 35-45µm in O . vulgatum compared with 50-60 µm in O . pusillum ). The chromosome number of O . vulgatum in India and Europe has been reported as 2 n =480, and that may be the number of most North America populations, which are small spored. In the Appalachians, however, a distinctive large-spored form has a chromosome number of 2 n =ca. 1320.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Description
provided by eFloras
Roots to 20 per plant, 0.3-0.9 mm diam., producing proliferations. Stem upright, to 1 cm, 3 mm diam., leaves 1 per stem. Trophophore stalk formed abruptly at base, to 5mm, sometimes more, 0.05 times length of trophophore blade. Trophophore blade erect to spreading, usually plane when alive, dark green, somewhat shiny, mostly ovate to ovate-trowel-shaped, widest in proximal half, to 10 × 4cm, firm, herbaceous, base tapering abruptly, apex rounded; venation complex-reticulate with included free veinlets in areoles. Sporophores arising at ground level, stalk 2-4 times length of trophophore; sporangial clusters 20-40 × 1-4 mm, with 10-35 pairs of sporangia, apiculum 1-1.5mm. 2 n =ca.1320.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Habitat & Distribution
provided by eFloras
Leaves appearing spring-early summer. Shaded secondary woods, rich wooded slopes, forested bottomlands, and floodplain woods, south of Wisconsin glaciation; 0-800m; Ala., Ariz., Ark., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., La., Mich., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va.; Mexico; Eurasia.
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Synonym
provided by eFloras
Ophioglossum pycnostichum (Fernald) A.Löve & D.Löve; O. vulgatum var. pycnostichum Fernald
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- Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
Ophioglossum vulgatum
provided by wikipedia EN
Ophioglossum vulgatum, commonly known as adder's-tongue,[1] southern adders-tongue or adders-tongue fern, is a species of fern in the family Ophioglossaceae.[2]
The adder’s tongue fern is generally believed to have the largest number of chromosomes with 1262, compared to the human’s 46.
Distribution
It is native to many regions with a wide scattered distribution: throughout temperate through tropical Africa and throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere in Europe, northeastern North America, temperate Asia, and Eurasia.[2][3]
This small, hard-to-spot plant can occur singly in unimproved pastures, rock crevices and grassy path-sides, but also can occur in colonies of hundreds of plants in sand dunes.
Description
Ophioglossum vulgatum grows from a rhizome base to 10–20 cm tall (rarely to 30 cm). It consists of a two-part frond, separated into a rounded diamond-shaped sheath and narrow spore-bearing spike. The spike has around 10-40 segments on each side.
It reproduces by means of spores.
Rarity
This species is rare in most European countries. In Ukraine, there were recorded 280 loci: 152 before 1980, after 1980 – 120, as before and after 1980 – 8 locations.[4]
Uses
Traditional European folk use of leaves and rhizomes as a poultice for wounds. This remedy was sometimes called the "Green Oil of Charity". A tea made from the leaves was used as a traditional European folk remedy for internal bleeding and vomiting.[5]
Taxonomy
Linnaeus described adder's-tongue with the binomial Ophioglossum vulgatum in his Species Plantarum of 1753.[6]
References
6. [1]
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Ophioglossum vulgatum: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Ophioglossum vulgatum, commonly known as adder's-tongue, southern adders-tongue or adders-tongue fern, is a species of fern in the family Ophioglossaceae.
The adder’s tongue fern is generally believed to have the largest number of chromosomes with 1262, compared to the human’s 46.
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