Class
Subclass
Order
Family
Genus
Classification
Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Botrychium lunaria (L.) Sw., J. Bot. (Schrader) 1800(2): 110 (1801)
Synonymy:
- ≡ Osmunda lunaria L., Sp. Pl. 1064 (1753)
Lectotype (selected by Bobrov 1984): Herb. Clifford 472, Osmunda 1, BM 000647551 (!online).
Etymology:
Vernacular Name(s):
moonwort
Description
Rhizomes erect, subterranean, c. 1 mm long, glabrous; roots slender, up to 0.7 mm diameter, not ridged or contractile. Fronds 22–85 mm long, divided into a sterile lamina and fertile sporophore. Stipes 15–57 mm long, yellow-brown proximally, green distally, glabrous or bearing scattered colourless hairs. Sterile laminae borne on a stalk 1–5 mm long, 1-pinnate, oblong, 7–32 mm long, 5–18 mm wide, green, fleshy or coriaceous, glabrous or bearing scattered colourless hairs. Pinnae in 3–6 pairs, flabellate, 2–9 mm long, 2–13 mm wide, sessile, margins entire. Sporophore held above the sterile lamina, borne on a stalk 3–30 mm long, divided 1–2 times, ovate or narrowly ovate, 3–15 mm long, 2.5–10 mm wide, fleshy, glabrous or bearing scattered colourless hairs. Sporangia sessile or subsessile, clustered on branches of the sporophore, 0.8–1.3 mm diameter.
Recognition
Botrychium lunaria is distinguished from the other two species in New Zealand by its much smaller stature, its pinnate sterile frond and its alpine habitat.
Distribution
South Island: Western Nelson, Canterbury
Altitudinal range: 760–1500 m.
Botrychium lunaria was originally recorded in New Zealand from a single population found at c. 760 m on Mt Torlesse, Canterbury in 1882 (Enys 1884), a population which has apparently become extinct. It was not seen again until found by Druce (1981, 1984) at 1450–1500 m on Hoary Head, Mt Arthur and Billies Knob, Mt Owen in north-west Nelson.
Also widely distributed in temperate regions of North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa, and in Australia (New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania).
Habitat
Occurs in short herbfield and in or around sinkholes in subalpine or alpine areas.
Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
Botrychium lunaria was given a conservation status of Nationally Critical by de Lange et al. (2013).
Notes
New Zealand plants of this species are very small and their relationship to generally larger overseas plants, particularly from the northern hemisphere, requires further investigation.
Bibliography
Bobrov, A.E. 1984: Conspectus filicarum Asiae Mediae et Kazakhstaniae. Novosti Sistematiki Vysshikh Rastenii 21: 5–21.
Brownsey, P.J.; Given, D.R.; Lovis, J.D. 1985: A revised classification of New Zealand pteridophytes with a synonymic checklist of species. New Zealand Journal of Botany 23(3): 431–489.
Brownsey, P.J.; Smith-Dodsworth, J.C. 2000: New Zealand ferns and allied plants. Edition 2. David Bateman, Auckland.
de Lange, P.J.; Heenan, P.B.; Given, D.R.; Norton, D.A.; Ogle, C.C.; Johnson, P.N.; Cameron, E.K. 1999: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 37: 603–628.
de Lange, P.J.; Norton, D.A.; Heenan, P.B.; Courtney, S.P.; Molloy, B.P.J.; Ogle, C.C.; Rance, B.D. 2004: Threatened and uncommon plants of New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 42(1): 45–76. [as Botrychium aff. lunaria (CHR 289336; NW Nelson)]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Barkla J.W.; Courtney, S.P.; Champion, P.D.; Perrie, L.R.; Beadel, S.N.; Ford, K.A.; Breitwieser, I.; Schönberger, I.; Hindmarsh-Walls, R.; Heenan, P.B.; Ladley, K. 2018: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2017. New Zealand Threat Classification Series. No. 22. [Nationally Critical]
de Lange, P.J.; Rolfe, J.R.; Champion, P.D.; Courtney, S.P.; Heenan, P.B.; Barkla, J.W.; Cameron, E.K.; Norton, D.A.; Hitchmough, R.A. 2013: Conservation status of New Zealand indigenous vascular plants, 2012. New Zealand Threat Classification Series 3. Department of Conservation, Wellington. [Nationally Critical]
Druce, A.P. 1981: Botrychium lunaria on Hoary Head, N.W. Nelson. Canterbury Botanical Society Journal 15: 39–42.
Druce, A.P. 1984: Another locality for Botrychium lunaria: Billies Knob, North-West Nelson. Canterbury Botanical Society Journal 18: 20–21.
Enys, J.D. 1884: On the occurrence of the fern Botrychium lunaria, Sw., (Moonwort) in New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute 16: 363–364.
Linnaeus, C. 1753: Species Plantarum. Impensis Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm.
Swartz, O.P. 1801: Genera et species filicum ordine systematico redactarum. Journal für die Botanik (Schrader) 1800(2): 1–120.
