Botrychium tunux
Moosewort
(c) Syd Cannings, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ophioglossaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1
Botrychium tunux (Moosewort) is a native California herb in the Ophioglossaceae family, recognized by short common stalk and rounded pinnae distinctive.
Moosewort is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native perennial found in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains, specifically around Mount Hoffman in Mariposa County, in well-drained rocky meadows at elevations of 3,600 meters. Without specific flowering time data, the description focuses on its distinctive fern-like characteristics. Growing with a delicate, pale green to yellowish-green frond, this fern has a compact structure with 3 to 6 pairs of oblong to rounded pinnae that are well-spaced or slightly overlapping. Its trophophore (leaf blade) is ovate, with pinnae having entire to finely crenate outer margins that converge at angles between 45 and 120 degrees. The sporophore emerges about half to slightly longer than the trophophore length, with spreading to slightly ascending fertile pinnae that contribute to its intricate botanical architecture.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; short common stalk and rounded pinnae distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Well-drained, rocky meadows
Elevation: 3600 m
Outside California: to Alaska, also Newfoundland, Iceland, Scandinavia
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.1
How to tell it apart
vs Sceptridium: Check the leaf bud - Botrychium is completely smooth, Sceptridium is hairy.; vs Ophioglossum: Botrychium has divided compound leaves; Ophioglossum has a single simple oval blade.; vs Botrypus: Feel the leaf bud - Botrychium is smooth and hairless, Botrypus is distinctly hairy.
Frequently asked questions
Is Botrychium tunux native to California?
Yes. Botrychium tunux is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Botrychium tunux belong to?
Botrychium tunux is in the Ophioglossaceae family, genus Botrychium.
Is Botrychium tunux rare or endangered?
Botrychium tunux carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.1, state rank S1.
What habitat does Botrychium tunux grow in?
Botrychium tunux grows in Well-drained, rocky meadows.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Botrychium yaaxudakeit — Giant moonwort
- Botrychium ascendens — Upswept moonwort
- Botrychium campestre var. lineare — Slender moonwort
- Botrychium crenulatum — Scalloped moonwort
- Botrychium hesperium — Western moonwort
- Botrychium minganense — Mingan moonwort
- Botrypus sp. — Rattlesnake fern
- Botrypus virginianus — Rattlesnake fern
- Ophioglossaceae sp. — Adder's-tongue family
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.