E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of BC

Botrychium simplex E. Hitchc.
least moonwort
Ophioglossaceae (Adder's-tongue family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

Map

Distribution of Botrychium simplex
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SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC

Botrychium simplex var. compositum

Species Information

General:
Deciduous perennial, 0.5-7 cm tall.

Trophophores:
Oblong to widely triangular, unstalked or narrowed into short stalks, usually simple; pinnae usually overlapping, up to 1.5 cm long, pinnules usually entire or shallowly lobed.

Sporophores:
1-pinnate, 1-8 times length of trophophores.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat and Range

Moist to wet vernal pools and ephemeral seepages in the lowland and montane zones; rare in S and EC BC; circumpolar, E to SK, disjunct E to ON, PQ and NF and S to MA, NH, NC, MS, IA, SD, CO, UT, NV and CA; Eurasia.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Status Information

Origin Status	Provincial Status	BC List (Red Blue List)	COSEWIC
Native	S4?	Yellow	Not Listed

BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer.

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Botrychium simplex subsp. simplex
Botrychium simplex subsp. typicum R.T. Clausen
Botrychium simplex var. compositum (Lasch) Milde
Botrychium simplex var. laxifolium (R.T. Clausen) Fernald
Botrychium simplex var. tenebrosum (A.A. Eaton) R.T. Clausen
Botrychium tenebrosum A.A. Eaton