Ophioglossum vulgatum

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]

Ophioglossum vulgatum

Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Ophioglossales
Family: Ophioglossaceae
Genus: Ophioglossum
Species:
O. vulgatum
Binomial name
Ophioglossum vulgatum

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.

Growing in sand-dunes on Anglesey

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]

References
  1. Stace, Clive (2010b), New Flora of the British Isles (3rd ed.), Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-70772-5, p. 9
  2. "Ophioglossum vulgatum". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  3. USDA
  4. Parnikoza I., Celka Z. An Archive of the Ophiglossaceae in Ukraine
  5. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases: Ophioglossum vulgatum
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