Botrychium yaaxudakeit
Giant moonwort
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ophioglossaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1
Botrychium yaaxudakeit (Giant moonwort) is a native California herb in the Ophioglossaceae family, recognized by clearly stalked fertile pinnae and large spore size distinctive.
Giant moonwort is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada Highlands, specifically in Virginia Canyon, in wet alpine drainages at elevations of 3,200 meters. This delicate fern produces light to deep green fronds with 4 to 6 pairs of fan-shaped pinnae arranged in an ovate blade approximately 1.5 to 3 centimeters long. Growing with a short common stalk less than one-third the length of its trophophore, the plant has a distinctive fern structure with pinnae featuring finely crenate outer margins and converging side margins. Its trophophore blade displays an intricate geometric arrangement, with pinnae spaced to overlapping and angled between 120 to 180 degrees. The fertile sporophore portion develops with clearly stalked pinnae and crowded sporangia, characteristic of this unique alpine moonwort species.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; clearly stalked fertile pinnae and large spore size distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Wet alpine drainages
Elevation: 3200 m
Outside California: northeastern Oregon to Alaska
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 yaaxudakeit native to California?
Yes. Botrychium yaaxudakeit is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Botrychium yaaxudakeit belong to?
Botrychium yaaxudakeit is in the Ophioglossaceae family, genus Botrychium.
Is Botrychium yaaxudakeit rare or endangered?
Botrychium yaaxudakeit carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.1, state rank S1.
What habitat does Botrychium yaaxudakeit grow in?
Botrychium yaaxudakeit grows in Wet alpine drainages.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Botrychium ascendens — Upswept moonwort
- Botrychium campestre var. lineare — Slender moonwort
- Botrychium crenulatum — Scalloped moonwort
- Botrychium hesperium — Western moonwort
- Botrychium minganense — Mingan moonwort
- Botrychium montanum — Western goblin moonwort
- Botrypus sp. — Rattlesnake fern
- Botrypus virginianus — Rattlesnake fern
- Ophioglossaceae sp. — Adder's-tongue family
- Ophioglossum californicum — California adder's-tongue
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.