Botrypus virginianus

Kessler, Michael & Smith, Alan R., 2017, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. V. Ophioglossaceae, Phytotaxa 327 (1), pp. 90-94 : 91

Botrypus virginianus (L.) Michx., Fl. Bor.- Amer. 2: 274. 1803.

= Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw., J. Bot. (Schrader) 1800(2): 111. 1800 [1801].

Range: — Canada to Bolivia (CO, SC, TA) and Brazil; Greater Antilles; Europe; Asia.

Ecology: —Locally fairly common; terrestrial in humid to semihumid forests and scrub ( Young & León 1993); 1800–3100 m, to sea level elsewhere. One of the world’s most ecologically adaptable fern species.

Notes: —There is considerable variation in the length of the fertile spikes and the dissection of the sterile blades, and several varieties or subspecies have been recognized by some authors. There is evidence that Botrypus has undergone gene transfer with a parasitic angiosperm through shared mycorrhizal partners ( Davis et al. 2005).