Taxon Report

Ophioglossum pusillum Raf.

northern adder's-tongue

Print Report

Taxon Summary

Ophioglossum pusillum, commonly known as northern adder's-tongue, is a perennial rhizomatous herb in the Ophioglossaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Marshes and swamps (margins), and Meadows and seeps, growing at elevations from 1000 to 2000 meters. Ophioglossum pusillum is ranked 2B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.

Classification


Scientific Name:	Ophioglossum pusillum Raf.
Common Name:	northern adder's-tongue
Family:	Ophioglossaceae
Element Code:	PPOPH020F0
USDA Plants Symbol:	OPPU3
Synonyms/Other Names:	Ophioglossum vulgatum L.

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	perennial rhizomatous herb
Blooming Period: Jul	Jul
Elevation:	1000-2000 (3280-6560)
General Habitats:	Marshes and swamps, Meadows and seeps
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


CA Rare Plant Rank:	2B.2
Global Rank:	G4
State Rank:	S1
State List:	None
Fed List:	None
Other Status:	USFS_S
CRPR Changes:	changed from 2.2 to 2B.2 on 2013-06-12

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	5
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	1
Fair (C)	1
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	0
Unknown (U)	3

Location


California Endemic: False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
El Dorado (ELD), Lake (LAK), Mendocino (MEN), Siskiyou (SIS)*
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Buck Rock (3912288), City of Mount Shasta (4112233)*, Crockett Peak (3912247), Leech Lake Mtn. (3912381), Loon Lake (3812083)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


Threat List Total:	3
EOs with Threat Listed:	Total EOs	% of EOs
	3	60 %
Grazing	2	40%
Improper burning regime	1	20%
Other	1	20%

Notes



Rediscovered near Howard Lake in 1998. Endangered in OR, and state-listed as Threatened in WA.
Threats:

Taxonomy:

Selected References

Ophioglossum pusillum account for potential Species of Conservation Concern evaluation (2021)

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 4 November 2025].