Ophioglossum pendulum
[syn. Ophioderma pendulum subsp. falcatum]
Puapua moa or Adder's tongue
Ophioglossaceae
Indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands (all main islands)
Oʻahu (Cultivated)
Hawaiian name: Puapua "tail feathers" and moa, "chicken," lit. "chicken tail feathers." www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/13853610635/in/photolist...
The white "dust" on the moss and potting media are the spore of this species, reminding me more of orchid seeds than fern spores. They have been released from the droppy or pendulous (pendulum) fertile spike. www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/14942667182/in/photostream/
Early Hawaiians prepared a cough remedy from this fern. Its spores were given to infants after birth to purge them of meconium.
Etymology
The generic name Ophioglossum is from the Greek ophis, snake, and glossa, tongue, in reference to the fertile spike resembling a snake's tongue.
The Latin specific epithet pendulum, hanging, in reference to this species' drooping blade.
Ophioglossum pendulum
[syn. Ophioderma pendulum subsp. falcatum]
Puapua moa or Adder's tongue
Ophioglossaceae
Indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands (all main islands)
Oʻahu (Cultivated)
Hawaiian name: Puapua "tail feathers" and moa, "chicken," lit. "chicken tail feathers." www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/13853610635/in/photolist...
The white "dust" on the moss and potting media are the spore of this species, reminding me more of orchid seeds than fern spores. They have been released from the droppy or pendulous (pendulum) fertile spike. www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/14942667182/in/photostream/
Early Hawaiians prepared a cough remedy from this fern. Its spores were given to infants after birth to purge them of meconium.
Etymology
The generic name Ophioglossum is from the Greek ophis, snake, and glossa, tongue, in reference to the fertile spike resembling a snake's tongue.
The Latin specific epithet pendulum, hanging, in reference to this species' drooping blade.