Flora of North America species comparison

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Botrychium biternatum

Botrychium acuminatum

southern grapefern, sparse-lobed grapefern, sparselobe grapefern

point moonwort, tail grapefern
Pinnae

to 7 pairs, usually remote, horizontal, distance between 1st and 2d pinnae not or slightly more than between 2d and 3d pairs, undivided except in proximal 2/3–1/2.

to 6 pairs, spreading to ascending, mostly separated by pinna width, 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 next adjacent pair, narrowly oblanceolate to linear-lanceolate, simple to irregularly divided to tip, margins commonly ± entire and with 1–several shallow and irregular lobes, apex acuminate, venation pinnate.
Trophophore

stalk 4–20 cm, 2–2.5 times length of trophophore rachis;

blade green to dark green, plane, 2–3-pinnate, to 18 × 28 cm, herbaceous.

stalk 0–20 mm, 0.1–0.5 times length of trophophore rachis;

blade dull, glaucescent, ovate-oblong, 1-pinnate, to 6 × 5 cm, firm.
Pinnules

elongate, obliquely lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, margins nearly parallel and finely denticulate, apex short-acuminate, venation pinnate.

Sporophores

1–2-pinnate, 2–3 times length of trophophore.

1–2-pinnate, 1.4–2 times length of trophophore.
2n

=90.

=180.

Botrychium biternatum

Botrychium acuminatum
Phenology Leaves green over winter, sporophores seasonal, new leaves appearing in late spring–early summer. Leaves appearing in midspring, dying in fall.
Habitat Frequent in low woods and brushy fields Lake Superior region in sand dunes in shade, old fields, grassy railroad sidings, and roadside ditches
Elevation 0–600 m (0–2000 ft) 200–500 m (700–1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; DE; FL; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
MI; ON
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Botrychium biternatum often grows with B. dissectum and B. jenmanii. The name B. biternatum was misapplied by L.Underwood to B. lunarioides (W.H. Wagner Jr. 1961).

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

Botrychium acuminatum grows with various other moonworts, particularly its nearest relatives, B. hesperium and B. matricariifolium.

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. Sceptridium > sect. Sceptridium Ophioglossaceae > Botrychium > subg. Botrychium
Sibling taxa
B. acuminatum, B. ascendens, 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. 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. pallidum, B. paradoxum, B. pedunculosum, B. pinnatum, B. pseudopinnatum, B. pumicola, B. rugulosum, B. simplex, B. spathulatum, B. virginianum
Synonyms Osmunda biternata, B. dissectum var. tenuifolium, B. tenuifolium
Name authority (Savigny) L. Underwood: Bot. Gaz. 22: 407. (1896) W. H. Wagner: Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb. 17: 321. (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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