Frenchman's Bluff Grapefern

Botrychium gallicomontanum is known only from one locality in western Minnesota, where it grows with both B . campestre and B . simplex . It is intermediate between them in the spacing, shape, and stalk length of the pinnae. This is one of four moonwort species that commonly produce dense clusters of minute, spheric gemmae at the root bases. This moonwort is probably an allopolyploid of the two associated species.

Trophophore stalk 1--8 mm; blade yellow-green, ovate to oblong-linear, 1-pinnate, to 3 × 0.9 cm, firm, glaucescent. Pinnae to 6 pairs, strongly ascending, well separated, distance between the 1st and 2d pinnae considerably greater than between 2d and 3d pairs, basal pinna pair approximately equal in size and cutting to adjacent pair, fan-shaped to narrowly spatulate, often asymmetric, with distal portion longer than and arching over proximal portion, undivided to tip, rarely 2-cleft, margins entire to irregularly cleft, apex rounded, venation like ribs of fan, midrib absent. Sporophores 2--3-pinnate, 1.5--3 times length of trophophore.

Minn.

Leaves appearing in midspring, dying in summer. Prairies; of conservation concern; 300m.