PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
 
   
 
Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

Pale Moonwort (Botrychium pallidum)

BOTPAL2_MB.jpg

 

 

 

 

10993.jpg

Photo by Matthew Bushman

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Pale Moonwort (Botrychium pallidum), a Wisconsin Special Concern plant, is found in open, moist sandy-cobbly substrates with low organic matter content. In Wisconsin, found only in a single locality thus far, adjacent to a pothole lake. The optimal identification period for this species is April through June.

 
 
 

Pale moonwort is a fern, 10-15cm tall, with sporophore (fertile blade) 1.5-4 times longer than its trophophore (sterile blade). Its spores diameter 23-28um in diameter. The trophophore is folded, pinnately divided with up to 5 pairs of pinnae, which are whitish green. The basal pinnae is cleft into 2 unequal lobes.

It can be distinguished from B minganense by its rolled pinnae margins across entire trophophore amd from B gallicomontanum its sporophore stalk being more than half as long as trophophore.

Rhizomatous. Fruiting occurs April through June.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is April through June.

Associated species include Calamagrostis canadensis, Rubus species, Salix species, Botrychium simplex var tenebrosum, B rugulosom, B multifidum, and B matricariifolium.

Pale moonwort is found in open, moist sandy-cobbly subtrates with low organic matter content. In Wisconsin, found only in a single locality thus far, adjacent to a pothole lake.

Avoid known individual plant locations and conduct operations elsewhere when they are least likely to cause damage. Ideally, this would involve frozen, snow-covered ground. However, in areas of the state where frozen conditions are unreliable, very dry soils late in the growing season might be the best available alternative. Consult with a biologist, if needed.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Avoid site preparation that heavily disturbs herbaceous ground layer and soil, including bulldozing and furrowing, as well as grubbing and stump removal.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.