Flora of North America species comparison

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Botrychium paradoxum

Botrychium pseudopinnatum

Paradox moonwort, peculiar moonwort, two-spike moonwort

false daisyleaf moonwort, false northwestern moonwort
Pinnae

to 6 pairs, ascending, approximate to overlapping, 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, obliquely ovate to lanceolate-oblong to spatulate, deeply and regularly lobed or pinnulate, lobed to tip, margins entire to very shallowly crenulate, apex truncate, venation pinnate.
Sporophores

double, 2 per leaf, 1-pinnate, 0.5–4 cm.

2-pinnate, 1–2 times length of trophophore.
Trophophore(s)

converted entirely to second fertile segment, stalk 1/2 length of fertile segment.

stalk 0–3 mm, 0 to 0.2 times length of trophophore rachis;

blade dark green, somewhat shiny, oblong, 1–2-pinnate, to 4.5 × 2.5 cm, leathery.
2n

=180.

=270.

Botrychium paradoxum

Botrychium pseudopinnatum
Phenology Leaves appearing in late spring to early fall.
Habitat Sporophores in June to August. Difficult to detect, plants usually hidden under other vegetation, in snowfields, secondary growth pastures Sandy soil
Elevation 1500–3000 m (4900–9800 ft) 300–500 m (1000–1600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
MT; UT; AB; BC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ON
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The leaf structure of Botrychium paradoxum is uniform and unique. Very rare teratological individuals of other moonwort species may have trophophores partially or wholly transformed into sporophores.

Botrychium × watertonense W.H. Wagner, known only from one locality in western Alberta, is the sterile hybrid of B. hesperium and B. paradoxum. It can be identified by its trophophore pinnae; all are bordered with sporangia. It may reproduce by some unknown mechanism, such as unreduced spores (W.H. Wagner Jr., F. S. Wagner, et al. 1984).

Of conservation concern.

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

Botrychium pseudopinnatum is the only known hexaploid in Botrychium subg. Botrychium. It differs from B. pinnatum in smaller size, in narrower trophophore with relatively shorter and more oblique and ascending pinnae, in longer trophophore stalk, and in blade color, texture, and luster.

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. hesperium, B. jenmanii, B. lanceolatum, B. lunaria, B. lunarioides, B. matricariifolium, B. minganense, B. montanum, B. mormo, B. multifidum, B. oneidense, B. pallidum, 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. pallidum, B. paradoxum, B. pedunculosum, B. pinnatum, B. pumicola, B. rugulosum, B. simplex, B. spathulatum, B. virginianum
Name authority W. H. Wagner: Amer. Fern J. 71: 24. (1981) W. H. Wagner: Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb. 17: 322. (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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