Ophioglossum vulgatum

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 1062. 1753.

Common names: Southern adder's-tongue herbe sans couture
Illustrated
Synonyms: Ophioglossum pycnostichum (Fernald) A.Löve & D.Löve Ophioglossum vulgatum var. pycnostichum Fernald
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.
Revision as of 23:22, 29 July 2020 by imported>Volume Importer
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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. 2n =ca. 1320.


Phenology: Leaves appearing spring–early summer.
Habitat: Shaded secondary woods, rich wooded slopes, forested bottomlands, and floodplain woods, south of Wisconsin glaciation
Elevation: 0-800m

Distribution

V2 106-distribution-map.gif

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

Discussion

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 2n =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 2n =ca. 1320.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Ophioglossum vulgatum"
rounded +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
Warren H. Wagner Jr. +  and Florence S. Wagner +
Linnaeus +
tapering +
simple +, stalked +  and sessile +
0.04 cm0.4 mm <br />4.0e-4 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
lanceolate +  and cordate +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br />) +
Southern adder's-tongue +  and herbe sans couture +
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 +  and Eurasia +
0-800m +
brown +  and white +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
linear +  and round +
Shaded secondary woods, rich wooded slopes, forested bottomlands, and floodplain woods, south of Wisconsin glaciation +
of widely scattered , long , uniseriate hairs +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br />) +
Leaves appearing spring–early summer. +
epiphytic +  and terrestrial +
spore-bearing +  and laminate +
photosynthetic +
with long , uniseriate hairs +  and glabrous +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
whitish yellow +  and black +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.09 cm0.9 mm <br />9.0e-4 m <br />) +
proliferous +
Illustrated +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
thick-walled +  and trilete +
stalked +  and simple +
2-4 times length of trophophore +
divided +
unbranched +  and simple +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (?) +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (1.6 cm16 mm <br />0.016 m <br />) +
tuberculate +  and rugate +
Ophioglossum pycnostichum +  and Ophioglossum vulgatum var. pycnostichum +
Ophioglossum vulgatum +
Ophioglossum +
species +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
mostly ovate +  and ovate-trowel-shaped +
erect +  and prostrate +
0.05 times length of trophophore blade +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
anastomosing +
like +, arranged +  and pinnate +