Flora of North America species comparison

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Botrychium hesperium

Botrychium pallidum

western moonwort

botryche pâle, pale botrychium, pale 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 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 0–3(–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 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

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

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

=180.

=90.

Botrychium hesperium

Botrychium pallidum
Phenology Leaves appearing in midspring, dying in early fall. Leaves appearing in late spring and early summer.
Habitat Grassy mountain slopes, snow fields, road ditches with willows, and sand dunes Sporadic, mainly in open fields but also in shaded places
Elevation 200–2800 m (700–9200 ft) 0–2600 m (0–8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CO; ID; MI; MT; UT; WY; AB; BC; ON; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CO; ME; MI; MB; ON; QC; 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.)

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. 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. 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
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. 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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