Common Moonwort vs Spathulate Botrychium

Botrychium lunaria compared with Botrychium spathulatum

Key Differences

• Common Moonwort is Endangered while Spathulate Botrychium is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Moonwort	Spathulate Botrychium
Kingdom same	Plantae (bitki)	Plantae (bitki)
Phylum same	Tracheophyta	Tracheophyta
Class same	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)
Order same	Ophioglossales (Ophioglossales)	Ophioglossales (Ophioglossales)
Family same	Ophioglossaceae	Ophioglossaceae
Genus same	Botrychium	Botrychium
Species	Botrychium lunaria	Botrychium spathulatum

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Moonwort and Spathulate Botrychium share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Botrychium.

Conservation Status

Common Moonwort

EN — Endangered

Spathulate Botrychium

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Moonwort	Spathulate Botrychium
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Moonwort

Habitat

Typically found in moist, shaded forest floors and tropical canopies.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and North America (United States). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Spathulate Botrychium

Habitat

Typically found in moist, shaded forest floors and tropical canopies.

Range

Distributed across Canada, Norway, and United States.

Common Moonwort

Common Moonwort (<em>Botrychium lunaria</em>) is a small fern in the genus <em>Botrychium</em>, family Ophioglossaceae. It is distributed across Asia, Europe, and North America, with confirmed presence in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden, as well as Taiwan and the United States. The species is typically found in moist, shaded forest floors and tropical canopies. Common Moonwort is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it faces significant conservation challenges across its range. Its distinctive frond is divided into two parts: a sterile fan-shaped leaf portion with rounded lobes resembling a crescent moon, and a fertile spike bearing spore-bearing structures. As a fern ally rather than a flowering plant, it reproduces via spores rather than seeds. The species is associated with stable, undisturbed habitats including ancient grasslands, upland heaths, and rocky slopes. Its sensitivity to habitat disturbance and changes in land management are thought to contribute to population declines. Specific biological measurements such as lifespan and dimensions are not documented in available records.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇺🇸 United States