PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

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

Little Goblin Moonwort (Botrychium mormo)

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Photo by W.C. Taylor

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Little Goblin Moonwort (Botrychium mormo), a Wisconsin Endangered plant, is found in mature second-growth to old-growth hardwood forests, preferring silt-capped drumlins, usually where hemlock is at least a minor forest component. The optimal identification period for this species is mid-July through mid-August.

 
 
 

Little goblin moonwort is a fern that is usually small in stature, 3-20cm, a solitary shiny, yellow-green, succulent, and linear-spatulate frond, 5m x 1cm. It has 3 or fewer ascending lobes that are widely separated at the base but fused together towards the tip. The basal, fertile portion of frond, is an erect spike that is slightly to many times longer than the sterile portion. It's pinnately branched at its apex, each branch and branchlet bears 2 rows of sporangia not, or only slightly, embedded in the branch. Stems produce one frond per season. Stipes are ~5cm long.

Rhizomatous.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is mid-July through mid-August.

Associated species include Acer saccharum, Tilia americana, and Betula alleghaniensis.

Little goblin moonwort is found in loamy soils of mature second- to old-growth hardwood forests, preferring silt-capped drumlins, usually where hemlock is at least a minor forest component.

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.

This species requires shaded habitat conditions, maintain high forest canopy cover.

Avoid rapid and dramatic reductions in canopy cover and, basal area, in wet areas to reduce risk of swamping.

Maintain thick duff layer if possible. Minimize spread of invasive species including earthworms.

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.