Flora of North America species comparison

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Botrychium crenulatum

Botrychium pallidum

crenulate moonwort, dainty moonwort, scalloped moonwort

botryche pâle, pale botrychium, pale moonwort
Pinnae

to 5 pairs, spreading, 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, broadly fan-shaped, undivided to tip, margins mainly crenulate to dentate, proximal pinnae with 1 or more shallow incisions, apex rounded, apical lobe linear to linear-cuneate, well separated from adjacent lobes, 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 0.5–7 mm;

blade yellow-green, oblong, 1-pinnate, to 6 × 2 cm, thin, herbaceous.

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

1–2-pinnate, 1.3–3 times length of trophophore.

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

=90.

=90.

Botrychium crenulatum

Botrychium pallidum
Phenology Leaves appearing in mid to late spring, dying in late summer; in extremely dry years of shorter duration or not appearing at all. Leaves appearing in late spring and early summer.
Habitat Local in marshy and springy areas Sporadic, mainly in open fields but also in shaded places
Elevation 1200–2500 m (3900–8200 ft) 0–2600 m (0–8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ME; MI; MB; ON; QC; SK
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Botrychium crenulatum is commonly associated with B. simplex in California. In the Wallowa Mountains of Oregon it occurs with B. ascendens, B. lunaria, and B. minganense.

(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. ascendens, B. biternatum, B. boreale, B. campestre, 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. 71: 21. (1981) 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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