# Rattlesnake Fern (*botrypus virginianus*) The Rattlesnake Fern, Botrypus virginianus, is a fascinating and distinctive deciduous fern native to rich, moist woodlands across North America, Europe, and Asia. Belonging to the adder's-tongue family, this unusual plant is easily recognized by its dual structure: a single, delicate, lacy sterile frond and a separate, upright, spore-bearing fertile stalk. Its common name is derived from the resemblance of this yellow-brown spore stalk to the rattle of a rattlesnake, as well as the belief that it often grows in habitats frequented by these snakes. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Found in rich, moist deciduous forests and shaded woodlands, typically growing in humus-rich soil under a dense forest canopy. ![Rattlesnake Fern](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/148105991/medium.jpg) Photo: Douglas Goldman, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/148105991) ## Appearance This fern features a single, broadly triangular, bright green sterile blade that is deeply divided three to four times, giving it a soft, delicate, and lacy appearance. Emerging from the base of this leafy blade is a distinct, upright fertile stalk (the sporophore) that towers above the foliage. This stalk is topped with dense, double-rowed clusters of grape-like sporangia, which start green and mature to a striking golden or yellow-brown color as they prepare to release spores. The entire plant typically reaches a height of 15 to 75 centimeters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Polypodiopsida - **Order:** Ophioglossales - **Family:** Ophioglossaceae - **Genus:** Botrypus ## Interesting facts - Because the plant relies heavily on delicate underground fungal networks, it is extremely difficult to transplant and rarely survives in domestic gardens. - In traditional folk medicine, Native Americans used a poultice made from the boiled roots of this fern to treat snakebites and bruises. - The common name refers to the golden, beaded spore clusters that closely resemble the tail rattle of a timber rattlesnake. ## Special abilities - **Obligate Fungal Symbiosis:** It relies heavily on mycorrhizal fungi for nutrients, which is especially critical during its subterranean, chlorophyll-free gametophyte stage. - **Elevated Spore Dispersal:** The tall, upright fertile stalk extends above the low sterile blade, utilizing forest drafts to maximize the wind travel of its tiny spores. - **Folded Leaf Emergence:** Unlike standard ferns that unroll from tight coils (fiddleheads), the young fronds of this species emerge by unfolding from a pre-formed, protected bud. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 15-75 cm - **Lifespan:** 5-20 years ## Diet & Feeding As a photosynthetic plant, it produces its own sugars from carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight, while absorbing essential minerals from the soil via a close partnership with fungi. - **Age differences:** The young, subterranean gametophyte lacks chlorophyll and is entirely mycoheterotrophic, relying completely on mycorrhizal fungi for food before growing photosynthetic leaves. - **Primary Foods:** Sunlight, Carbon dioxide, Water, Soil minerals ## Ecological connections - **Mutualism:** Mycorrhizal Fungus (*Glomus macrocarpum*) — Provides essential nutrients to the subterranean stage and root system of the fern. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Occasionally browses on the foliage of the fern during late spring. ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Rattlesnake Fern? Compare frond shape, how the leaflets are arranged, the stalk, and any spore clusters you can see. A single detached leaflet often hides the plant's overall growth pattern. Fern Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Rattlesnake Fern? 15-75 cm ### How long does Rattlesnake Fern live? 5-20 years ### What does Rattlesnake Fern eat? As a photosynthetic plant, it produces its own sugars from carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight, while absorbing essential minerals from the soil via a close partnership with fungi. ### Where is Rattlesnake Fern usually found? Found in rich, moist deciduous forests and shaded woodlands, typically growing in humus-rich soil under a dense forest canopy. ## Where to spot - [Bixby State Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bixby-state-preserve) — Iowa, US · Nature Reserve - [Buchanan State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/buchanan-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [Concord](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/concord) — Tennessee, US · Neighborhood - [Richard Bong State Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/richard-bong-state-recreation-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [Conway-Robinson Memorial State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/conway-robinson-memorial-state-forest) — Virginia, US · Forest [View all places to see Rattlesnake Fern](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/rattlesnake-fern) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Rattlesnake Fern: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rattlesnake-fern)