Ophioglossum californicum

California adder's-tongue

Family: Ophioglossaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.2

California adder's-tongue is a native perennial ranked 4.2 by CNPS, found in northern and central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Central Valley, Central Coast, Southern Coast, and southwestern Peninsular Ranges in grassy pastures, chaparral, and vernal pool margins at elevations of 60 to 450 meters. Its distinctive green leaf blade is generally folded and thick, with a single fertile stalk rising 1 to 2.5 times the length of the sterile portion. Growing with a small caudex less than 20 millimeters long and 4 millimeters wide, this delicate fern relative emerges discretely in scattered patches. Its leaf blade supports 8 to 15 pairs of sporangia arranged in compact rows 8 to 15 millimeters long. The sterile tip of its fertile stalk measures a tiny 0.3 to 1 millimeter, making this an easily overlooked but fascinating botanical specimen.

Habitat: Uncommon but sometimes locally abundant, often overlooked. Grassy pastures, chaparral, vernal pool margins

Elevation: 60-450 m

Bioregions: n&ampc SNF, GV, CCo, SCo, sw PR

California counties: San Diego, Stanislaus, Butte, Amador, Monterey, Los Angeles, Merced, Mariposa, Santa Barbara

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