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