Species

Ophioglossum vulgatum L. ssp. africanum Pocock ex J.E. Burrows var. taylorianum J.E. Burrows

Synonyms
Common name
Description	Rhizome short, linear to oval, c. 1.4-3 cm long; old leaf bases absent; roots descending or horizontal, proliferous. Leaves 1 or 2, dull green. Petiole up to 7.5 cm long, subterranean for 25-40 % of its length. Sterile lamina 45-60 × 12-20 mm, narrowly elliptic to sublanceolate in outline, apex pointed, base wedge-shaped; fertile segment 9-12.5 cm long, arising from the base of the sterile lamina; Sporangia 30-40 pairs.
Notes
Derivation	vulgatum: common; africanum: of Africa; taylorianum: named after Peter Taylor, Kew botanist.
Habitat	Shallow sandy soils in deciduous Brachystegia/Julbernardia woodland, often near seasonally moist depressions.
Distribution worldwide	See African distribution.
Distribution in Africa	Tanzania , Zimbabwe .
Growth form	Terrestrial.
Literature	Burrows, J.E. (1999) Two new taxa of Ophioglossum from Tropical Africa.Bothalia, 29 (1) Pages 110 - 112. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Johns, R.J. (2001) Ophioglossaceae. Flora of Tropical East Africa, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Pages 15 - 17. Roux, J.P. (2009) Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands. Strelitzia 23, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. Page 35. Roux, J.P. (2001) Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta.Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report, 13 Page 34.