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Botrychium yaaxudakeit
Scientific Name: Botrychium yaaxudakeit
Family: Ophioglossaceae
Category: Fern
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Botrychium yaaxudakeit
Botrychium yaaxudakeit, described by Stensvold & Farrar, is a fascinating fern with several common names, including Giant Moonwort and Yakutat Moonwort. It is also referred to as Yaa Xu da Keit's Moonwort.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Botrychium yaaxudakeit Stensvold & Farrar
- Family: Ophioglossaceae (Adder's-tongue Family)
- Genus: Botrychium
- Rank: Species
Distribution and Habitat
This moonwort is native to southern Alaska and California.
It is found in high latitude and high elevation disturbed meadows. Initially, the species was known from approximately 7 locations along the southern coast of Alaska.
Morphological Characteristics
- Perennial plant, reaching heights of 8 to 25 centimeters.
- Deciduous leaves.
- Imparipinnate leaves.
- Sporophore branches ascending, not twisted, about 2 cm.
- Strongly overlapping pinnae that also overlap the rachis.
- Side margins of basal pinnae converging at 30–120(160), pinnae generally well-spaced to touching.
Conservation Status
- Listed in the CNPS Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants on list 2B.1 (rare).
- Considered vulnerable.
- Global Heritage Rank: G3G4.
Related Species
It is closely related to other Botrychium species, including Botrychium tunux.
Further Information
Additional information can be found at the US Forest Service Tongass National Forest website, specifically on the Yakutat area information pages.