Botrychium pedunculosum

Stalked moonwort

Family: Ophioglossaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1

Stalked moonwort is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native perennial found in mountain meadows at elevations around 1,850 meters. This delicate fern produces pale green fronds with broadly ovate to triangular blades that are 1 to 2-pinnate. Growing with a distinctive structure where the common stalk is equal to or longer than the trophophore length, it features 4 to 6 pairs of pinnae with broadly ovate segments that have coarsely toothed outer margins. Its pinnae have an unusual characteristic where the side margins of basal pinnae converge at angles between 90 and 120 degrees, creating a unique geometric leaf arrangement. The fertile portion of the plant includes sporangia that are either spaced or crowded across its broadly triangular reproductive structure.

Habitat: Mountain meadows

Elevation: 1850 m

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.