Botrychium ascendens |
Botrychium paradoxum |
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trianglelobe moonwort, upswept moonwort |
Paradox moonwort, peculiar moonwort, two-spike moonwort |
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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. |
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Trophophore(s) | 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. |
converted entirely to second fertile segment, stalk 1/2 length of fertile segment. |
Sporophores | 2-pinnate at base of sporangial cluster, 1.3–2 times length of trophophore. |
double, 2 per leaf, 1-pinnate, 0.5–4 cm. |
2n | =180. |
=180. |
Botrychium ascendens |
Botrychium paradoxum |
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Phenology | Leaves appearing in late spring to midsummer. | |
Habitat | In grassy fields, widely scattered | Sporophores in June to August. Difficult to detect, plants usually hidden under other vegetation, in snowfields, secondary growth pastures |
Elevation | 0–2500 m (0–8200 ft) | 1500–3000 m (4900–9800 ft) |
Distribution |
AK; CA; MT; NV; OR; WY; BC; ON; YT
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MT; UT; AB; BC; SK
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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.) |
The leaf structure of Botrychium paradoxum is uniform and unique. Very rare teratological individuals of other moonwort species may have trophophores partially or wholly transformed into sporophores. Botrychium × watertonense W.H. Wagner, known only from one locality in western Alberta, is the sterile hybrid of B. hesperium and B. paradoxum. It can be identified by its trophophore pinnae; all are bordered with sporangia. It may reproduce by some unknown mechanism, such as unreduced spores (W.H. Wagner Jr., F. S. Wagner, et al. 1984). 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 | ||
Name authority | W. H. Wagner: Amer. Fern J. 76: 36, figs. 1, 2. (1986) | W. H. Wagner: Amer. Fern J. 71: 24. (1981) |
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