Flora of North America species comparison

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Botrychium ascendens

Botrychium echo

trianglelobe moonwort, upswept moonwort

echo moonwort, reflected grape-fern
Pinnae

to 5 pairs, strongly ascending, well separated, distance between 1st and 2d pinnae not or slightly more than between 2d and 3d pairs, basal pinna pair approximately equal in size and cutting to adjacent pair, obliquely narrowly cuneate, undivided to tip, margins sharply denticulate and often shallowly incised, apex rounded, venation like ribs of fan, midrib absent.

to 4 pairs, spreading or only moderately ascending, well separated, distance between 1st and 2d pinnae not or slightly more than between 2d and 3d pairs, basal pinna pair approximately equal in size and cutting to adjacent pair, oblanceolate to linear-spatulate, ± parallel-sided, divided to tip, shallowly lobed or rarely 2-cleft, basal pinna cleft into single basiscopic projection and large acroscopic projection, margins entire, apex acute, venation pinnate.
Trophophore

stalk 3–10 mm, 1/6 length of trophophore rachis;

blade yellow-green, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 1-pinnate, to 6 × 1.5 cm, thin but firm.

stalk 0–4 mm;

blade shiny green, broadly oblong to oblong-deltate, 1–2-pinnate, to 4 × 3cm, firm.
Sporophores

2-pinnate at base of sporangial cluster, 1.3–2 times length of trophophore.

1–2 pinnate, 1–2 times length of trophophore rachis.
2n

=180.

=180.

Botrychium ascendens

Botrychium echo
Phenology Leaves appearing in late spring to midsummer. Leaves appearing in June, dying in September.
Habitat In grassy fields, widely scattered Grassy mountain slopes, snow fields, road ditches, and sand dunes
Elevation 0–2500 m (0–8200 ft) 2500–3700 m (8200–12100 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; MT; NV; OR; WY; BC; ON; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; UT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Botrychium ascendens is a distinctive little moonwort that grows with B. crenulatum, B. lunaria, and B. minganense. This species and B. pedunculosum are the only grapeferns that often have extra sporangia on the proximal pinnae.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Botrychium echo is one of four moonwort species that commonly produce clusters of minute, spheric gemmae at the root bases. This species tends to have a reddish brown stripe along the common stalk from the base of the trophophore stalk.

Of conservation concern.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 2. FNA vol. 2.
Parent taxa Ophioglossaceae > Botrychium > subg. Botrychium Ophioglossaceae > Botrychium > subg. Botrychium
Sibling taxa
B. acuminatum, B. biternatum, B. boreale, B. campestre, B. crenulatum, B. dissectum, B. echo, B. gallicomontanum, B. hesperium, B. jenmanii, B. lanceolatum, B. lunaria, B. lunarioides, B. matricariifolium, B. minganense, B. montanum, B. mormo, B. multifidum, B. oneidense, B. pallidum, B. paradoxum, B. pedunculosum, B. pinnatum, B. pseudopinnatum, B. pumicola, B. rugulosum, B. simplex, B. spathulatum, B. virginianum
B. acuminatum, B. ascendens, B. biternatum, B. boreale, B. campestre, B. crenulatum, B. dissectum, B. gallicomontanum, B. hesperium, B. jenmanii, B. lanceolatum, B. lunaria, B. lunarioides, B. matricariifolium, B. minganense, B. montanum, B. mormo, B. multifidum, B. oneidense, B. pallidum, B. paradoxum, B. pedunculosum, B. pinnatum, B. pseudopinnatum, B. pumicola, B. rugulosum, B. simplex, B. spathulatum, B. virginianum
Name authority W. H. Wagner: Amer. Fern J. 76: 36, figs. 1, 2. (1986) W. H. Wagner: Amer. Fern J. 73: 57. (1983)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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