Southern Adder's Tongue Fern

When I think of a fern, my mind pictures a large dissected leaf (frond). But, as with most plant or animal groups, ferns come in many forms.

The Southern Adder's Tongue Fern (Ophioglossum pycnostichum) is an unusual looking fern. It was given the name adder because of the resemblance of the spore stalk to a snakes tongue. Breaking down the scienitfic name, Ophio- refers to snake and -glossum. tongue.The Field Guide to the Ferns explains that pyncnostichum translates to crowded rows of 'sporangia'" (Snyder & Bruce, 1986), referring to the premature stalk in the picture below.

Southern Adder's Tongue Fern (Ophioglossum pycnostichum)

What I find most striking about this plant is the super smooth leaf. It is not often that you find a leaf with no apparent venation. There are two other species of Adder's tongue that grow in Georgia with that smooth leaf. Dwarf Adder's Tongue, which grows in south Georgia. The leaves and stalk of that species are, no surprise, much smaller. Bulbous Adder's Tongue, is also smaller, but also has almost round leaves (fronds).

So, if you find yourself in Georgia, north of the Fall Line, you can confidently identify this unusual little fern as Southern Adder's Tongue.