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Botrychium crenulatum

W.H. Wagner

Crenulate Moonwort

G4Apparently Secure Found in 6 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.154829
Element CodePPOPH010L0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumFilicinophyta
ClassOphioglossopsida
OrderOphioglossales
FamilyOphioglossaceae
GenusBotrychium
Synonyms
Botrychium lunaria var. 1
Other Common Names
Botryche crénelé (FR) dainty moonwort (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
It has been proposed but not yet published that Botrychium crenulatum be treated as a variety of B. lunaria, to which it is genetically very similar (M. Stensvold 2008 cited by Farrar 2011).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x
Review Date2018-01-23
Change Date2018-01-23
Edition Date2018-01-23
Edition AuthorsTomaino, A.
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Uncommon but wide ranging in western North America. Most populations are small. Habitat is one of the wettest of Botrychium species. Threats include logging, grazing, roads/trails, and alterations to hydrology.
Range Extent Comments
Botrychium crenulatum occurs in western North America from British Columbia, Alberta and northwestern Montana to Arizona and southern California (Farrar 2011). Also reported from Ontario and Newfoundland Island (NatureServe Network Database as of November 2017).
Occurrences Comments
The number of extant occurrences in California is 125, Idaho is 3, Nevada is 7, Oregon is 68, Utah is 2, Wyoming is 6, British Columbia is 23, Alberta is 7, and Ontario is 1 (Fertig et al. 2015; CNPS 2018, NatureServe Network Database as of November 2017). There are 146 observations in Montana (Montana Natural Heritage Program 2018). Known from one historical occurrence in Arizona, and an unknown number of occurrences in Colorado and Washington (NatureServe Network Database as of November 2017).
Threat Impact Comments
Threatened most by logging and grazing; other threats include roads/trails, trampling, recreation, erosion, fuels reduction, ORVs, altered hydrology, soil compaction, invasive species, and climate change (CNDDB 2016; CNPS 2018; Montana Natural Heritage Program 2018; NatureServe Network Database as of November 2017; USFS 2016).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Wavy Moonwort is a small, perennial fern with a single aboveground frond. The frond is usually 10 cm or less tall, yellow-green, and divided into two segments which share a common stalk. The mostly sterile segment is once pinnatifid with usually three or four well separated pairs of thin textured, broadly fan-shaped pinnae which have distinct veins and crenulate margins. The fertile segment is longer than the sterile segment, is branched (often like a tiny Christmas tree), and bears grape-like sporangia. Spores germinate underground and develop into minute, subterranean, non-photosynthetic gametophytes which depend on an endophytic fungus for nourishment.

Diagnostic Characteristics

Yellow-green color and well separated, thin textured, broadly fan-shaped pinnae with crenulate margins and prominent veins are diagnostic of B. CRENULATUM. It may be easily confused with B. ASCENDENS, B. LUNARIA, and B. MINGANENSE. Reliable field determination of moonworts depends on the careful use of technical keys and comparison with silhouette outlines of verified specimens. Identification can be complicated because there is often a high degree of morphological variability between individuals in a population and between populations of the same species; several species may grow together at the same site, and the few diagnostic characters may not be apparent in small plants.

Habitat

Wet, marshy, and springy areas, including marshy meadows, edges of marshes, saturated soils of seeps, bottoms and stabilized margins of small streams, and (occasionally) wet roadside swales, ditches, and drainageways. Sites tend to be partly to heavily shaded and usually have a dense, diverse cover of forbs and graminoids. Dominant plant species may include spruce, alders, and dogwood; this species has also been reported from western red cedar habitats. Often found on soils influenced by reprecipitated calcium. At mid to high elevations (montane zone), 1200 - 2500 m.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferGrassland/herbaceous
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
IdahoS1Yes
UtahS1Yes
OregonS2Yes
ArizonaS1Yes
WyomingS1Yes
NevadaS2Yes
WashingtonS3Yes
MontanaS3Yes
ColoradoS1Yes
CaliforniaS3Yes
MinnesotaS1Yes
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
AlbertaS3Yes
Yukon TerritorySUYes
OntarioS1Yes
Island of NewfoundlandSUYes
British ColumbiaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline—
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline—
4 - Transportation & service corridorsSmall (1-10%)Slight or 1-10% pop. decline—
4.1 - Roads & railroadsSmall (1-10%)Slight or 1-10% pop. decline—
5 - Biological resource useRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline—
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline—
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. decline—
6.1 - Recreational activitiesRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. decline—
7 - Natural system modificationsSmall (1-10%)Slight or 1-10% pop. decline—
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesSmall (1-10%)Slight or 1-10% pop. decline—
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesSmall (1-10%)Slight or 1-10% pop. decline—
11 - Climate change & severe weatherSmall (1-10%)Slight or 1-10% pop. decline—

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (6)
California (3)
AreaForestAcres
Boundary Peak (CA)Inyo National Forest210,884
Coyote SoutheastInyo National Forest53,159
San JoaquinSierra National Forest22,474
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Charleston - ClarkHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,674
Washington (2)
AreaForestAcres
HoodooColville National Forest7,142
ProfanityColville National Forest28,944
References (23)
  1. California Native Plant Society (CNPS). 2001. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California (sixth edition). Rare Plant Scientific Advisory Committee, David P. Tibor, Convening Editor. California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, CA. x + 388pp.
  2. California Native Plant Society (CNPS). 2018. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants (online edition, v8-03 0.39). California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA. Online. Available: http://www.rareplants.cnps.org (accessed 2018).
  3. California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). 2016. RareFind Version 5.1.1. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
  4. Douglas, G.W., D. Meidinger, and J. Pojar, editors. 2000. The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia. Volume 5. Dicotyledons (Salicaceae through Zygophyllaceae) and Pteridophytes. British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks and British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Victoria.
  5. Farrar, D.R. 2006. June last update. Systematics of moonworts <i>Botrychium </i>subgenus botrychium. Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames. Online. Available: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~herbarium/botrychium.html (accessed 2007).
  6. Farrar, D. R. 2011, December last update. <i>Botrychium crenulatum </i>species description, map, and photo page. In Farrar, D.R. 2011, December last update. Moonwort (<i>Botrychium</i>) systematics. Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames. Online. Available: http://www.public.iastate.edu/~herbarium/botrychium.html (accessed 2018).
  7. Farrar, D.R. 2011. Systematics and taxonomy of genus <i>Botrychium</i>. http://www.herbarium.iastate.edu/botrychium/Moonwort-Systematics.pdf (Accessed July 2015).
  8. Fertig, W., J. Handley, and B. Heidel. 2015. March 3 last update. Botrychium crenulatum State Species Account, Wyoming Natural Diversity Database. Online. Available: https://www.uwyo.edu/wyndd/_files/docs/reports/speciesabstracts/botrychium_crenulatum.pdf (accessed 23 January 2018).
  9. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1993a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 2. Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xvi + 475 pp.
  10. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  11. Kershaw, L., J. Gould, D. Johnson, and J. Lancaster. 2001. Rare vascular plants of Alberta. Univ. of Alberta Press, Edmonton, Alberta and Nat. Resour. Can., Can. For. Serv., North. For. Cent., Edmonton, Alberta. 484pp.
  12. Lesica, P. and K. Ahlenslager. 1989. Demographic monitoring of three species of BOTRYCHIUM (Ophioglossaceae) in Waterton Lakes Park, Alberta. Unpublished 1989 progress report, 5 pp. plus appendices.
  13. Lesica, P. and K. Ahlenslager. 1994. Demographic monitoring of three species of BOTRYCHIUM (Ophioglossaceae) in Waterton Lakes Park, Alberta: 1993 progress report. Unpublished report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, Montana. 19 pp.
  14. Mantas, M. and R. S. Wirt. 1995. Moonworts of western Montana (BOTRYCHIUM subgenus BOTRYCHIUM). Flathead National Forest. 103 pp.
  15. Montana Natural Heritage Program. 2018. Montana Field Guide. Online. Available: http://fieldguide.mt.gov (Accessed 2018).
  16. Montana Natural Heritage Program. Montana Plant Field Guide. Online. Available: http://mtnhp.org/plants/plantguide.asp (Accessed 2006).
  17. Paris, C. A., F. S. Wagner and W. H. Wagner, Jr. 1989. Cryptic species, species delimitation, and taxonomic practice in the homosporus ferns. Amer. Fern J. 79:46-54.
  18. U.S. Forest Service. 2016. Species of Conservation Concern List for the Helena - Lewis and Clark National Forests with supporting documentation and rationale.  USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, Missoula. MT.
  19. Wagner, D.H. 1992. Guide to the species of <i>Botrychium</i> in Oregon. Biology Dept., University of Oregon, Eugene. 19 pp. + Figures.
  20. Wagner, Jr., W. H., F. S. Wagner, C. Haufler and J. K. Emerson. 1984. A new nothospecies of moonwort (Ophioglossaceae, BOTRYCHIUM). Canadian Journal of Botany 62:629-634.
  21. Wagner, W.H. Jr. and F.S. Wagner. 1986. Three new species of moonworts (<i>Botrychium</i> subg. <i>Botrychium</i>) endemic in western North America. American Fern Journal 76(2):33-47.
  22. Wagner, W.H., Jr. and F.S. Wagner. 1990. Notes on the fan-leaflet group of moonworts in North America with descriptions of two new members. American Fern Journal 80(3):73-81.
  23. Wagner, W.H., Jr., and F. Wagner. 1981. New species of moonworts, <i>Botrychium </i>subg. <i>Botrychium </i>(Ophioglossaceae), from North America. American Fern J. 71(1):20, 26.