Adder's tongue ferns (Ophioglossaceae)
Ophioglossum coriaceum. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe.
The Ophioglossaceae is a family of ferns that includes adder tongues, grape ferns and moonworts. There are four genera worldwide: Botrychium, Ophioglossum, Helminthostachys and Mankyua.
Ferns in this family are characterised by several features:
- A single leaf or frond that is divided into a sterile green blade and a fertile spike that supports embedded sporangia
- Production of eusporangia (as opposed to leptosporangiate ferns)
- Subterranean gametophytes
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Botrychium biforme. Photos by Jeremy Rolfe.
This page last updated on 25 Sep 2012