Ophioglossum lusitanicum L. var. gracillinum A.Braun

Rhizome spindle-shaped, c. 1-3 mm thick, 2-14 mm long, sometimes with a single, withered, persistent leaf base; roots descending, some horizontal, not proliferous. Leaves 1 or 2 (rarely 3), erect to 30° from the vertical, mid-green. Stipe up to 3 cm long, subterranean for 40-50 % of its length, stipe:lamina lenght ratio 0.6-1:1, stipe bases not persistent. Sterile lamina 16-35 × 1-2.5 mm, lenght:width ratio 10-20:1, linear-elliptic to needle-like in outline, somewhat falcate, apex with short sharp point (mucro), base narrowly tapering, sometimes into a slender pseudo-petiole, venation of c. 7 longitudinal anastomosing veins forming slender areoles. Fertile segment 2.5-4.5 cm long, inserted at the base of the lamina, fertile spike: lamina lenght ratio 1.3-2.1:1. Sporangia 7-15 pairs.

O. gracillimum has a long needle-like leaf with a width:length ratio of 1:10-20. It could be confused with O. lusoafricanum that has a more linear rhizome, a stipe that is buried for 30-50% of its length and a leaf with:length ratio of 1:7-9.

gracillinum: slender; this species has a very narrow leaf.

Seasonally moist, shallow sandy soils along vlei margins and watercourses, often in areas overlying sheetrock in deciduous woodland.

See African distribution.

Angola, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania , Zimbabwe.

Terrestrial.