Flora of the Southeastern United States

Ophioglossaceae Martinov. Common name: Adder's-tongue Family.

Key to Ophioglossaceae

A family of 10 genera and about 115 species (as treated by PPG I 2016). The Ophioglossaceae is only distantly related to the leptosporangiate ferns; Kuo et al. (2011), Pryer et al. (2004), and PPG I (2016) indicate that it is most closely related to Psilotaceae. There is an increasing consensus that Botrychium as often very broadly circumscribed should be separated into four or five genera, of which three are native in our area: Botrypus, Botrychium, and Sceptridium (Shinohara et al. 2013; Dauphin, Vieu, & Grant 2014; Hauk, Parks, & Chase 2003; Hauk 1996; PPG I 2016; Zhang et al. 2020).

ID notes: The family Ophioglossaceae is characterized by bearing spores on a specialized and modified "leaf", the sporophore. The sterile leaf (the trophophore) characteristically has a rather fleshy or rubbery texture (when alive).

References: Kuo et al. (2024); PPG I (2016); Wagner & Wagner (1993) In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (1993b); Wagner In Kramer & Green (1990); Zhang & Zhang (2022); Zhang et al. (2020). Show full citations.

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