Sceptridium multifidum

Sceptridium multifidum is a fern species in the Ophioglossaceae[1][2] (Adder's tongue family), known by the common names leathery grapefern[3] and leathery moonwort. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North America, where it is widespread and grows in moist areas in many habitat types. This is a fleshy, leathery plant growing from a small caudex with thin, corky roots. Unlike most ferns, S. multifidum has contractile roots, which are thought to help anchor the plant in the soil.[4] It produces a single leaf which emerges directly from the ground. It is divided into a sterile and a fertile part. The sterile part of the leaf is wide and has rounded or oval-shaped leaflets. The fertile part of the leaf is very different in shape, with grape-like clusters of sporangia by which it reproduces. The gametophytes develop from these spores in the soil, and are thought to associate with an endophytic fungus like the gametophytes of other members of this genus.[5] While the gametophytes have not been observed in nature, they have been grown under lab conditions.[5]

Sceptridium multifidum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Class: Polypodiopsida
Order: Ophioglossales
Family: Ophioglossaceae
Genus: Sceptridium
Species:
S. multifidum
Binomial name
Sceptridium multifidum
Synonyms

Botrychium multifidum
Botrychium californicum
Botrychium coulteri
Botrychium matricariae
Botrychium silaifolium

Rarity

This species is rare in Europe. In Ukraine, there have been 86 recorded localities.[6]

References
  1. Botrychium Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 16 January 2012
  2. Christenhusz, Maarten J. M.; Zhang, Xian-Chun; Schneider, Harald (2011). "A linear sequence of extant families and genera of lycophytes and ferns" (PDF). Phytotaxa. 19: 7–54. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.19.1.2.
  3. "Botrychium multifidum". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  4. Stevenson, Dennis WM. (1975). "Taxonomic and Morphological Observations on Botrychium multifidum (Ophioglossaceae)". Madroño. 23 (4): 198–204. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  5. Gifford, Jr., Ernest M.; Brandon, Dorothy D. (1978). "Gametophytes of Botrychium multifidum as Grown in Axenic Culture". American Fern Journal. 68 (3): 71–75. doi:10.2307/1546452. JSTOR 1546452. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  6. Ivan Parnikoza, Zbigniew Celka. "Archive of findings of representatives of Ophioglossaceae in Ukraine". Retrieved 27 August 2018.


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