Botrypus virginianus

Rattlesnake fern

Family: Ophioglossaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Rattlesnake fern is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and Cascade Range in moist shaded valleys along small streams at elevations of 700 to 1,200 meters. Though not currently flowering in this dataset, it is a robust, deciduous herb with distinctive fern-like characteristics. Growing with herbaceous stems up to 20 centimeters wide, it features trophophore leaves with ultimate segments ranging from linear to ovate, with free and forked veins. Its leaves have margins that vary from entire to coarsely serrate or deeply lobed, with a long sporophore stalk that is 2 to 3 times pinnate. The plant's roots are smooth and range from yellow to brown, with a thickness of 2 millimeters near the base.

Habitat: Moist shaded valleys along small streams

Elevation: 700-1200 m

Bioregions: KR, CaR

California counties: Siskiyou, Shasta

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.