About Ruta L.
This is a fleshy, leathery plant that grows from a small caudex, with thin, corky roots. Unlike most ferns, this species has contractile roots, which are thought to help anchor the plant in the soil. It produces a single leaf that emerges directly from the ground, and this leaf is divided into a sterile part and a fertile part. The sterile part of the leaf is wide, and has rounded or oval-shaped leaflets. The fertile part of the leaf has a very different shape, with grape-like clusters of sporangia that the plant uses for reproduction. Gametophytes develop from these spores inside the soil, and they are thought to associate with an endophytic fungus, similar to the gametophytes of other members of this genus. Gametophytes of this species have not been observed in nature, but they have been successfully grown under laboratory conditions. This plant is native to Europe, Asia, and North America, including Greenland. It is widespread across this native range, and grows in moist areas across many different habitat types.
