Flora of North America species comparison

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Botrychium paradoxum

Botrychium rugulosum

Paradox moonwort, peculiar moonwort, two-spike moonwort

botryche à limbe rugueux, St. Lawrence grapefern, ternate grapefern
Pinnae

to 9 pairs, usually approximate, horizontal to ascending, distance between 1st and 2d pinnae not or slightly more than between 2d and 3d pairs, divided to tip.
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 2 to 15 cm, 1–2.5 times length of trophophore rachis;

blade green, finely rugulose and convex distally, 2–4-pinnate, to 15 × 26 cm, somewhat herbaceous.
Pinnules

obliquely and angularly trowel-shaped to spatulate, margins usually denticulate, apex acute, venation pinnate.
2n

=180.

=90.

Botrychium paradoxum

Botrychium rugulosum
Phenology Leaves green over winter, appearing in midspring.
Habitat Sporophores in June to August. Difficult to detect, plants usually hidden under other vegetation, in snowfields, secondary growth pastures In open fields and secondary forests over wide range in vicinity of St. Lawrence Seaway
Elevation 1500–3000 m (4900–9800 ft) 200–1000 m (700–3300 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
MT; UT; AB; BC; SK
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
MI; MN; NY; VT; WI; ON; QC
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.)

The name "rugulosum" refers to the tendency of the segments to become more or less wrinkled and convex. Botrychium rugulosum occurs with B. dissectum, B. multifidum, and rarely B. oneidense. It is often found in small stands of only 5–10 individuals, but some populations number over 100.

(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. 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. pseudopinnatum, B. pumicola, B. simplex, B. spathulatum, B. virginianum
Synonyms B. multifidum
Name authority W. H. Wagner: Amer. Fern J. 71: 24. (1981) W. H. Wagner: Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb. 15: 315. (1982)
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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