Flora of North America species comparison

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Botrychium ascendens

Botrychium pallidum

trianglelobe moonwort, upswept moonwort

botryche pâle, pale botrychium, pale moonwort
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 5 pairs, ascending, approximate, 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, fan-shaped, strongly asymmetric, lobed to divided to tip, margins entire to irregularly crenate-dentate, largest pinnae often split into 2 unequal lobes, apex rounded, venation like ribs of fan, midrib absent.
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 2–8 mm, 0–1/5 length of trophophore rachis;

blade glaucous, pale green to whitish, oblong, ± longitudinally folded when alive, 1-pinnate, to 4 × 1 cm, herbaceous.
Sporophores

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

1–2-pinnate, 1.5–4 times length of trophophore.
2n

=180.

=90.

Botrychium ascendens

Botrychium pallidum
Phenology Leaves appearing in late spring to midsummer. Leaves appearing in late spring and early summer.
Habitat In grassy fields, widely scattered Sporadic, mainly in open fields but also in shaded places
Elevation 0–2500 m (0–8200 ft) 0–2600 m (0–8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; CA; MT; NV; OR; WY; BC; ON; YT
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ME; MI; MB; ON; QC; SK
[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.)

A usually tiny plant, Botrychium pallidum is separable from dwarfed and narrow sun forms of B. minganense by the peculiar, often folded pinnae and pale green to whitish color. It has been found growing with B. campestre, B. echo, B. hesperium, B. lunaria, B. matricariifolium, B. minganense, and B. spathulatum. Its small size may cause it to be overlooked. This is one of four moonwort species that commonly produce dense clusters of minute, spheric gemmae at the root bases.

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. 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. 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. 80: 74. (1990)
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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