Ophioglossum lusitanicum L.
Family: OPHIOGLOSSACEAE
Genus: Ophioglossum
Province distribution: Balearic Islands. Girona.
Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera.
General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean
IUCN Category: Least concern
Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Life-forms: Geophyte.
Habitats: Therophytic calicole fields. Therophytic silicolous fields. Therophytic communities.
Characteristics: Ophioglossum lusitanicum is a fern, although its appearance does not look at it at all. It lives in clearing in dry garrigues (Mediterranean woodland), in places with clay soils which are very moist during winter. It has underground stems which are very thin and produce aerial leaves which are renewed every yaer. These leaves have a lanceolate petiol and limb; the fertile leaves form a stalk which carries a spike with two lines of sporangis at the top. The aerial part of the plant is only two to five centimetres in height and it can easily go unnoticed among the other plants. We will find it bearing fruit in the month of March approximately, shortly after it dries up and disappears.