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western moonwort

botryche champètre, Iowa moonwort, prairie moonwort

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 5(–9) pairs, spreading, usually remote, separated 1–3 times pinna width, in some populations irregularly and extensively fused with considerable webbing along rachis, 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 the adjacent pair, mostly linear to linear-spatulate, undivided to tip, margins crenulate to dentate, usually notched or cleft into 2 or several segments, apex rounded to acute, venation like ribs of fan, midrib absent.

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 usually absent but sometimes broadly tapered to 10 mm in forms with coalesced proximal pinnae;

blade glaucescent, oblong, longitudinally folded when alive, 1-pinnate, to 4 × 1.3 cm, very fleshy.

Sporophores

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

1(–2, rarely)-pinnate, 1–1.5 times length of trophophore.

2n

=180.

=90.

Botrychium hesperium

Botrychium campestre

Phenology Leaves appearing in midspring, dying in early fall. Leaves appearing in early spring and dying in late spring and early summer, long before those of associated moonworts.
Habitat Grassy mountain slopes, snow fields, road ditches with willows, and sand dunes Extremely inconspicuous in prairies, dunes, grassy railroad sidings, and fields over limestone
Elevation 200–2800 m (700–9200 ft) 50–1200 m (200–3900 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MI; MT; UT; WY; AB; BC; ON; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; IA; MI; MN; MT; ND; NE; NY; SD; WI; WY; AB; ON; SK
[BONAP county 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 campestre is one of four moonwort species that commonly produce dense clusters of minute, spheric gemmae at the root bases. Peculiar forms of B. campestre with coalescent pinnae are found on dunes in the vicinity of Lake Michigan.

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. 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. biternatum, B. boreale, 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
Name authority (Maxon & R. T. Clausen) W. H. Wagner & Lellinger: Amer. Fern J. 71: 92. (1981) W. H. Wagner & Farrar: Amer. Fern J. 76: 39, figs. 2, 4, 5. (1986)
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