West Highland Flora

Moonwort


Botrychium lunaria

 

Botrychium lunaria

Photo © Carl Farmer
17 Jul 2003 Storr, Skye
Plant 3.8 cm high

Occasional in stony ground on hills and in short grass on dry ground at lower altitudes.

Green sterile leaf-blade c 2-5 cm.  Brown fertile spike c 1-5 cm

ID: Unmistakable.  Each frond consistsof a sterile green blade which is pinnately divided into c 3-8 pairs of roundish leaflets, and a fertile spike with reduced pinnae that when ripe are completely covered with brown spore cases.

Other features: Above ground parts die away completely in winter.  Mountain forms can be extremely small, those on road verges are much larger.

 

Botrychium lunaria

Photo © Carl Farmer
17 Jul 2003 Storr, Skye

  Botrychium lunaria

Photo © Carl Farmer
17 Jul 2003 Storr, Skye

 

Botrychium lunaria

Photo © Carl Farmer
5 Aug 2003 Storr, Skye
Frond 7mm across at widest

1.2 cm from base of 1st branch to tip of spike    

 

Botrychium lunaria

Photo © Carl Farmer
21 Jun 2004 Sligachan, Skye
Height of visible part c 6.3 cm

  Botrychium lunaria

Photo © Carl Farmer
21 Jun 2004 Sligachan, Skye
Height of visible part c 2.7 cm


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