Small Adder's-tongue
CR

Small Adder's-tongue

Ophioglossum azoricum

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophioglossum_azoricum

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Small Adder's-tongue faces severe threats from habitat destruction and degradation across its extremely limited range in the Azores. Its specialized habitat requirements and small population size make it highly vulnerable to environmental changes, invasive species, and human activities that alter the delicate ecosystem conditions it depends upon.

Threat summary

Habitat

Endemic to the Azores archipelago, this species occurs in humid grasslands, pastures, and grassy areas with specific soil moisture conditions. It typically grows in semi-natural grassland habitats and disturbed areas with appropriate microclimate conditions at various elevations across the islands.

Other threatened species in Ophioglossaceae

Little MoonwortEN

Little Moonwort

Botrychium simplex

Unknown
Ophioglossum vulgatumVU

Ophioglossum vulgatum

Unknown
northern moonwortVU

northern moonwort

Botrychium boreale

Unknown
Unshoe-the-horseEN

Unshoe-the-horse

Botrychium lunaria

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Small Adder's-tongue classified as Critically Endangered?
Small Adder's-tongue is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Small Adder's-tongue faces severe threats from habitat destruction and degradation across its extremely limited range in the Azores. Its specialized habitat requirements and small population size make it highly vulnerable to environmental changes, invasive species, and human activities that alter the delicate ecosystem conditions it depends upon.
Where does Small Adder's-tongue live?
Small Adder's-tongue occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Small Adder's-tongue?
The main threats to Small Adder's-tongue are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.