Montana Field Guide

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Montana Field Guides

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- Kingdom - Plants - Plantae
  - Division - Ferns - Filicinophyta
    - Class - Adder's-Tongue / Moonworts - Ophioglossopsida
      - Order - Adder's-Tongue / Moonworts - Ophioglossales
        
        Family - Adder's-Tongue / Moonworts - Ophioglossaceae
        
        Species - Northern Moonwort - Botrychium pinnatum

Northern Moonwort - Botrychium pinnatum

Other Names: Botrychium boreale ssp. obtusilobum

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Species of Concern
Native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S3
CCVI: Less Vulnerable
C-value: 7

Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS: Sensitive - Known in Forests (BD)
BLM:

External Links

General Description

Plants 5–20 cm. Trophophore green, lanceolate, up to 8 cm long with up to 7 pairs of pinnae; at least the lowest pairs deeply lobed and nearly overlapping the ones above. Sporophore 2 times pinnate; 1 to 2 times as long as trophophore (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Phenology

Leaves appearing in June to August.

Species Range

Montana Range Range Descriptions

Native

Range Comments

In MT scattered in various counties from the northwest to Park County; AK, YT and NT south through BC and AB to CA, NV, ID, WY and CO (Donald Farrar, Iowa State University, unpublished ms.)

Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database

Number of Observations: 61

(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version) Map Help and Descriptions

Relative Density

Recency

(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)

Habitat

Wide variety of habitats, including wet to moist grassy slopes, streambanks, roadsides, and mossy woods, generally in the mountains. In Idaho and Oregon, found in shaded cedar forest.

Predicted Suitable Habitat Model

This species has a Predicted Suitable Habitat Model available.

To learn how these Models were created see here

Stewardship Responsibility

References

Literature Cited AboveLegend: View Online Publication
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
- Farrar, Donald. 2011. Moonwort (Botrychium) Systematics. Ada Hayden Herbarium. Iowa State University.
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
- Mantas, M. and R.S. Wirt. 1995. Moonworts of western Montana (Botrychium subgenus Botrychium). Flathead National Forest. 103 pp.
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Citation for data on this website:
Northern Moonwort — Botrychium pinnatum. Montana Field Guide. Montana Natural Heritage Program. Retrieved on October 31, 2025, from https://FieldGuide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=PPOPH010V0