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Ophioglossum pycnostichum

(Fern.) A.& D. Löve

Adders Tongue

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.153861
Element CodePPOPH020E0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusProvisional
Name CategoryVascular Plant
KingdomPlantae
PhylumFilicinophyta
ClassOphioglossopsida
OrderOphioglossales
FamilyOphioglossaceae
GenusOphioglossum
Synonyms
Ophioglossum vulgatum var. pycnostichumFern.
Concept Reference
Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
FNA (1993, vol. 2) and Kartesz (1999) include Ophioglossum pycnostichum as indistinct from Ophioglossum vulgatum. Weakley et al. (2023) recognizes it as distinct, saying, "While Wagner in FNA (1993) subsumes "pycnostichum" in O. vulgatum, he points out that "a distinctive large-spored form with a chromosome number of 2n= ca. 1320" occurs "in the Appalachians", suggesting the possibility of cryptic taxa within "pycnostichum" (= southeastern North American O. vulgatum). The best treatment of this complex remains uncertain and needs additional study" and indicates that O. vulgatum excluding O. pycnostichum is limited to Eurasia.
Conservation Status
Review Date1989-04-20
Change Date1989-04-20
Ecology & Habitat
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
MichiganSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
KentuckyS4Yes
DelawareSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS4Yes
New JerseyS1Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
GeorgiaSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
South CarolinaS2Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
LouisianaSNRYes
IllinoisS3Yes
North CarolinaS3Yes
MississippiSNRYes
West VirginiaSNRYes
VirginiaSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
Georgia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Oklahoma (1)
AreaForestAcres
Beech CreekOuachita National Forest8,303
References (4)
  1. Dodds, J.S. 2025. <i>Ophioglossum pycnostichum</i> Rare Plant Profile. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites, Forests & Natural Lands, Office of Natural Lands Management, New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton, NJ. 19 pp. [https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/parksandforests/ophioglossum-pycnostichum-southern-adders-tongue.pdf]
  2. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1993a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 2. Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xvi + 475 pp.
  3. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  4. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.