Flora of North America species comparison

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Botrychium hesperium

Botrychium biternatum

western moonwort

southern grapefern, sparse-lobed grapefern, sparselobe grapefern
Pinnae

to 6 pairs, ascending, usually approximate or overlapping except in shade forms, distance between 1st and 2d pinnae not or slightly more than between 2d and 3d pairs, basal pinna pair commonly much larger and more divided than adjacent pair, lobed to tip, basal pair oblong to oblong-lanceolate with lobed margins, remainder broadly spatulate with entire margins or 1 or more shallow lobes, apex rounded, venation pinnate.

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.
Trophophore

stalk 0–3(–10) mm, to 1/4 length of trophophore rachis;

blade ± gray-green, dull, oblong-linear to deltate, 1–2-pinnate, to 6 × 5 cm, firm.

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.
Sporophores

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

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

elongate, obliquely lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, margins nearly parallel and finely denticulate, apex short-acuminate, venation pinnate.
2n

=180.

=90.

Botrychium hesperium

Botrychium biternatum
Phenology Leaves appearing in midspring, dying in early fall. Leaves green over winter, sporophores seasonal, new leaves appearing in late spring–early summer.
Habitat Grassy mountain slopes, snow fields, road ditches with willows, and sand dunes Frequent in low woods and brushy fields
Elevation 200–2800 m (700–9200 ft) 0–600 m (0–2000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MI; MT; UT; WY; AB; BC; ON; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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]
Discussion

In the Rocky Mountains Botrychium hesperium grows often with B. echo, and in the Lake Superior region, with B. acuminatum and B. matricariifolium.

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

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.)
Source FNA vol. 2. FNA vol. 2.
Parent taxa Ophioglossaceae > Botrychium > subg. Botrychium Ophioglossaceae > Botrychium > subg. Sceptridium > sect. Sceptridium
Sibling taxa
B. acuminatum, B. ascendens, B. biternatum, B. boreale, B. campestre, B. crenulatum, B. dissectum, B. echo, B. gallicomontanum, 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. 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 B. matricariifolium subsp. hesperium Osmunda biternata, B. dissectum var. tenuifolium, B. tenuifolium
Name authority (Maxon & R. T. Clausen) W. H. Wagner & Lellinger: Amer. Fern J. 71: 92. (1981) (Savigny) L. Underwood: Bot. Gaz. 22: 407. (1896)
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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