SPECIES:  Botrychium montanum

• Introductory
• Distribution and Occurrence
• Management Considerations
• Botanical and Ecological Characteristics
• Fire Ecology
• Fire Effects
• References

Introductory
SPECIES: Botrychium montanum



AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Williams, Tara Y. 1990. Botrychium montanum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). 
Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [].




ABBREVIATION : 
BOTMON

SYNONYMS : 
NO-ENTRY


SCS PLANT CODE : 
NO-ENTRY


COMMON NAMES : 
   mountain moonwort


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name of mountain moonwort is
Botrychium montanum Wagner.


LIFE FORM : 
Fern or Fern Ally

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
No special status

OTHER STATUS : 
Mountain moonwort is rare globally and is imperiled in Montana [7].  It
is a regional endemic to Montana [5].

DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Botrychium montanum



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : 
Mountain moonwort is endemic to Flathead, Glacier, and Lake counties in
Montana [5].


ECOSYSTEMS : 
   FRES22  Western white pine


STATES : 
     MT



BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 
   8  Northern Rocky Mountains


KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : 
   K013  Cedar - hemlock - pine forest


SAF COVER TYPES : 
   215  Western white pine
   227  Western redcedar - western hemlock
   228  Western redcedar


SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : 
NO-ENTRY

MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SPECIES: Botrychium montanum





IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
NO-ENTRY


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Populations of mountain moonwort may not persist for long periods of
time.  Trampling should be deterred [5].

BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Botrychium montanum



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Mountain moonwort grows to 3.5 inches (8.7 cm) in height.  Leaves are
glaucous and dull, not succulent [8]..


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Undisturbed State:  Hemicryptophyte
   Burned or Clipped State:  Hemicryptophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
NO-ENTRY


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Mountain moonwort is most abundant in moist, springy western redcedar
(Thuja plicata) forests.  It is also found along grassy trail edges.
Mountain moonwort occurs at elevations ranging from 3,200 to 6,000 feet
(1,030-1,935 m).  It may grow in pure stands but is generally associated
with Virginia grape-fern (Botrychium virginianum) and occasionally with
other Botrychium spp. [8].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
NO-ENTRY

FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Botrychium montanum



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
NO-ENTRY

FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Botrychium montanum



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
NO-ENTRY


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
NO-ENTRY


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

References for species: Botrychium montanum

1. Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p. [434]

2. Eyre, F. H., ed. 1980. Forest cover types of the United States and Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905]

3. Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others]. 1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]

4. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York: American Geographical Society. 77 p. [1384]

5. Lesica, Peter. 1984. Rare vascular plants of Glacier National Park, Montana. Missoula, MT: University of Montana, Department of Botany. 27 p. [12049]

6. Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843]

7. Shelly, J. Stephen, compiler. 1990. Plant species of special concern. Helena, MT: Montana Natural Heritage Program. 20 p. [12960]

8. Wagner, W. H., Jr.; Wagner, Florence S. 1981. New species of moonworts, Botrychium subg. Botrychium (Ophioglossaceae), from North America. American Fern Journal. 71(1): 20-30. [12967]

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