Ophioglossum vulgatum
| Ophioglossum vulgatum | |
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| File:Ophioglossum in sand-dunes.jpg | |
| Ophioglossum vulgatum growing in sand-dunes on Anglesey | |
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O. vulgatum
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| Binomial name | |
| Ophioglossum vulgatum |
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Ophioglossum vulgatum, commonly known as adder's-tongue,[1] southern adders-tongue or adders-tongue fern, is a species of the plant genus Ophioglossum.[2]
Distribution
It is native to many regions with a wide scattered distribution: throughout temperate through tropical Africa; and throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere in Europe, northeastern North America, temperate Asia, and Eurasia.[2][3]
This small, hard-to-spot plant can occur singly in unimproved pastures, rock crevices and grassy path-sides, but also can occur in colonies of hundreds of plants in sand dunes.
Description
Ophioglossum vulgatum grows from a rhizome base to 10-20 cm tall (rarely to 30 cm). It consists of a two-part frond, separated into a rounded diamond-shaped sheath and narrow spore-bearing spike. The spike has around 10-40 segments on each side.
It reproduces by means of spores.
Uses
Traditional European folk use of leaves and rhizomes as a poultice for wounds. This remedy was sometimes called the "Green Oil of Charity". A tea made from the leaves was used as a traditional European folk remedy for internal bleeding and vomiting. [4]
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., p. 9
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 GRIN treatment: O. vulgatum . accessed 2.14.2014
- ↑ USDA
- ↑ Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases: Ophioglossum vulgatum
