Flora of North America species comparison

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Botrychium hesperium

Botrychium montanum

western moonwort

mountain moonwort, western goblin
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.

or lobes to 6 pairs, ascending, mostly widely separated, distance between 1st and 2d pinnae not or slightly more than between 2d and 3d pairs, extremely variable in outline, linear to cuneate, undivided to tip, margins entire to coarsely dentate, distal pinnae or blade tip cut into 3–5 lobes, apex angular, 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 0.3–2 cm, 0.2–0.5 times length of rachis;

blade dull, glaucous, gray-green, mostly linear, lobed to 1-pinnate, to 6 × 0.7 cm, somewhat succulent.
Sporophores

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

1-pinnate, 1.5–4.5 times length of sporophore.
2n

=180.

=90.

Botrychium hesperium

Botrychium montanum
Phenology Leaves appearing in midspring, dying in early fall. Leaves appearing in late spring to late summer.
Habitat Grassy mountain slopes, snow fields, road ditches with willows, and sand dunes Dark coniferous forests, usually near swamps and streams
Elevation 200–2800 m (700–9200 ft) 1000–2000 m (3300–6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MI; MT; UT; WY; AB; BC; ON; SK
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[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; MT; OR; WA; BC
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[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 montanum may come to be recognized as a subspecies of the eastern B. mormo, from which it differs in lacking an attached gametophyte and in having a more dissected trophophore apex, glaucous blades, shorter trophophore stalk, earlier seasonal development, and full opening of sporangia when mature. Botrychium montanum and B. mormo differ from B. simplex in being more robust and in having truncate, adnate, lateral lobes on the trophophore blade and dentate to deeply cleft trophophore apex.

(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. campestre, B. crenulatum, B. dissectum, B. echo, B. gallicomontanum, B. hesperium, B. jenmanii, B. lanceolatum, B. lunaria, B. lunarioides, B. matricariifolium, B. minganense, 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: Amer. Fern J. 71: 29. (1981)
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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