20170923 Decided they are mostly bipinnate, so that would lead to Botrychium biternatum. One is much more dissected and could be Botrychium dissectm. Transplanted the B dissect from the edge of the driveway to copse 1 near ebony spleenwort and other Botrychium biternatum. Transplanted Botrychium biternatum to courtyard.

20161123 currently think the many moonworts observed are B dissectum

GENUS: Botrychium
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Ferns : lists 16 Ophioglossaceae in North Carolina, including 6 Ophioglossum spp. Has own collection of images.


Fryer, Janet L. 2014. Botrychium spp. 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/plants/fern/botspp/all.html [2017, September 23].
Botrychium lunaria (L.) Sw., common moonwort [12,14,21,29,35,63,70,77]
Botrychium matricariifolium (A. Braun ex Dowell) A. Braun ex Koch, daisy-leaf moonwort [22,35,58,63,70]
Botrychium montanum W.H. Wagner, mountain moonwort [21,35,69,70]
Botrychium paradoxum W.H. Wagner, peculiar moonwort [21,35,70]

Radford, A. E., H. E. Ahles & C. R. Bell. 1968. Man. Vasc. Fl. Carolinas i–lxi, 1–1183. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill - distinguishes between B biternatum & B dissectum as bipinnate & tripinnate, respectively.

Species in North Carolina per PLANTS

** Botrychium biternatum (Sav.) Underw. (sparselobe grapefern) published Botanical Gazette 22(5): 407. 1896
Plants: BOBI in Chatham (no images)
Go Botany key X; Discover life (images)
NTP : Common; Look for it in moist forests, clearings, old fields, per Weakley's Flora
eFlora; Botrychium biternatum often grows with B . dissectum and B . jenmanii . The name B . biternatum was misapplied by L.Underwood to B . lunarioides (W.H. Wagner Jr. 1961).
Radford, A. E., H. E. Ahles & C. R. Bell. 1968. Man. Vasc. Fl. Carolinas. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill [kindle edition] (Shows in chatham)


** Botrychium dissectum Spreng. (cutleaf grapefern) published Anleitung zur Kenntniss der Gewächse 3: 172. 1804. (Anleit. Kenntn. Gew.)
Plants: BODI2 in Chatham (images)
Go Botany key; Discover life (images);
NTP: Common, Look for it in moist forests, clearings, old fields, per Weakley's Flora
eFlora: highly variable, even within the same population.
Tropicos lists many subs & variants, herbarium specimen
Radford, A. E., H. E. Ahles & C. R. Bell. 1968. Man. Vasc. Fl. Carolinas. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill [kindle edition] (Shows in chatham)


** Botrychium jenmanii Underw. (Dixie grapefern)

Go Botany key X; NTP X
eFloras.org has description: ... occurs in a variety of habitats. In hardwoods and especially pine woods, it is associated with B . biternatum ; in open grassy places and lawns it is found with B . lunarioides.
Radford, A. E., H. E. Ahles & C. R. Bell. 1968. Man. Vasc. Fl. Carolinas. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill [kindle edition] ( as B alabamense )

Botrychium lanceolatum (S.G. Gmel.) Angstr. (lanceleaf grapefern)
Plants: BOLA NC native, no county data (images)
Go Botany key X; Discover life (images); NTP X
eFloras.org lists two subspecies, neither in NC "Leaves usually drying up in midsummer together with other associated species. Mainly open fields" and "Leaves appearing in late spring or early summer, releasing spores later than most associated species, and dying as late as October. Mainly in shaded woods;"
Clowderwood moonworts appear in late summer, thus unlikely to be B lanceolatum

Botrychium lunarioides (Michx.) Sw. (winter grapefern)
Plants: BOLU2 NC native, no county data (x images)
[Plants maps if not in chatham or broadly NC]
Go Botany key X; Discover life (images);
NTP: Rare Look for it in old fields, pastures, young forests, granitic flatrocks, juniper-oak-blue ash woodlands over limestone, per Weakley's Flora
eFlora:Another peculiarity of this species is the tendency for the sporophores to remain curled in late fall and early winter and to become erect in February. Botrychium lunarioides is often associated with Schizachyrium scoparius Michaux and Ophioglossum crotalophoroides Walter
Clowderwood habitat is acidic mafic and moist; fronds appear in late summer, thus unlikely to be B lundariodes.
Radford, A. E., H. E. Ahles & C. R. Bell. 1968. Man. Vasc. Fl. Carolinas. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill [kindle edition]

Botrychium matricariifolium (A. Braun ex Dowell) A. Braun ex W.D.J. Koch (matricary grapefern)
Plants: BOMA2 NC native, no county data (images)
Go Botany key; Discover life (images); NTP: NC mountains
eFlora: Leaves appearing in spring, dying in late summer.
Clowderwood moonworts appear in late summer, thus unlikely to be B matricariifolium

Moonworts in the news Dr. Evelyn Williams August 18, 2016
Botrychium matricariifolium Daisy-leaved moonwort

Botrychium multifidum (S.G. Gmel.) Trevis. (Leathery grapefern)
Plants: BOMU NC native, no county data (images)
Go Botany key; Discover life (images); NTP X
eFlora: Leaves green over winter, appearing in spring. Widespread mainly in fields
Clowderwood moonworts appear in late summer, thus unlikely to be B multifidum

Botrychium oneidense (Gilbert) House (bluntlobe grapefern, Oneida grape fern)
Plants: BOON NC native, in three counties (X images)

Go Botany key; Discover life (images); NTP X
eFlora: Leaves green over winter, sporophores seasonal, new leaves appearing in spring. In moist, shady, acidic woods and swamps; ..Botrychium oneidense commonly occurs with B . dissectum and B . multifidum . Young individuals of both may resemble B . oneidense (W.H. Wagner Jr. 1961b).
Clowderwood moonworts appear in late summer, thus unlikely to be B oneidense
Radford, A. E., H. E. Ahles & C. R. Bell. 1968. Man. Vasc. Fl. Carolinas. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill [kindle edition]

Botrychium simplex E. Hitchc. (little grapefern)
Plants: BOSI NC native, no county data (images)
NTP: NC mountains, Look for it in disturbed gravelly areas in spruce-fir forests, northern hardwoods forests, grassy balds, per Weakley's Flora
eFlora: habitat/coocurrance
Clowderwood moonworts seem different from diagram, habitat incorrectr, thus unlikely to be B simplex.

Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw. {rattlesnake fern)
Plants: BOVI in Chatham (images)
NTP: Common, Look for it in a wide range of fairly dry, mesic, and wet forests, cove forests, especially in nutrient-rich, moist bottomlands and slopes, per Weakley's Flora
eFlora: Leaves seasonal, appearing in early spring and dying in late summer. Common to abundant, especially in shaded forests and shrubby second growth…
Clowderwood moonworts appear in late summer, thus unlikely to be B virginianum.
Radford, A. E., H. E. Ahles & C. R. Bell. 1968. Man. Vasc. Fl. Carolinas. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill [kindle edition] (Shows in chatham)


1
Leaf blades deltate, mostly 5--25 cm, commonly sterile, sporophores absent or misshapen; plants mostly over 12 cm; leaf sheaths open or closed.
+
Leaf blades mainly oblong to linear, mostly 2--4 cm, all fertile, sporophores always present; plants to 15 cm, mostly less than 10 cm; leaf sheaths closed (subg. Botrychium).
2 (1)
Trophophore blade thin, herbaceous; leaf sheaths open; sporophores, when present, arising from base of trophophore blade high on common stalk; leaves absent during winter (subg. Osmundopteris).
+
Trophophore blades herbaceous or thick-papery to leathery; leaf sheaths closed; sporophores, when present, arising near ground from basal portion of common stalk; leaves present during winter (subg. Sceptridium).
3 (2)
Trophophores prostrate, blades commonly 2 per plant; roots yellowish, to 30 per plant; sporophore stalks and midrib broadly flattened, fleshy; leaves dying in early spring, new leaves appearing in late fall (sect. Hiemobotrychium).

+
Trophophores erect or ascending, blades commonly 1 per plant; roots blackish, to 15 per plant; sporophore stalks and midrib only slightly flattened, not fleshy; leaves appearing in late spring and lasting until following spring (subg. Sceptridium sect. Sceptridium).
4 (3)
Basal pinnae mostly long-stalked and remotely alternate; pinnule venation nearly like ribs of fan but with short midrib; blades dull gray-green.
+
Basal pinnae short-stalked and mostly subopposite; pinnule venation pinnate, with strong midrib; blades bluish green or green to dark green.
5 (4)
Terminal pinnules larger than lateral pinnules; pinnae undivided except in proximal 1/2--3/4.
+
Terminal pinnules similar to or only slightly larger than lateral pinnules; pinnae divided to tip.
6 (5)
Trophophore blades usually 2--3-pinnate, terminal pinnae elongate and nearly parallel-sided; leaves mostly remaining green during winter.
+
Trophophore blades usually 2--4-pinnate, pinnules trowel-shaped or ovate (rarely linear), apex rounded to acute; leaves green or bronze during winter.
7 (6)
Pinnules obliquely ovate, margins finely denticulate to crenulate, apex rounded to acute; trophophore blades green in winter.
+
Pinnules obliquely trowel-shaped or linear, margins denticulate to lacerate or coarsely cut, apex acute; trophophore blades bronze in winter if exposed.
8 (5)
Segments of blades rounded, nearly entire, plane; texture leathery; n North America.
+
Segments of blades angular, ± dentate, somewhat channeled and concave abaxially; texture semiherbaceous; Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway region.
9 (1)
Trophophores linear to linear-oblong, simple to lobed, lobes rounded to square and angular, stalks usually 1/3--2/3 length of trophophore; plants in deep shade under shrubs and trees.
+
Trophophores linear to deltate (narrowly oblong in Botrychium minganese), pinnate, rarely simple, lobes, if present, of various shapes, stalk usually less than 1/4 length of trophophore; plants usually in exposed sites.
10 (9)
Segments rounded; plants herbaceous.
+
Segments angular; plants succulent.
11 (10)
Surfaces shiny yellow-green (alive); blade apex undissected or with 2--3 lobes, cutting fairly regular; trophophore stalks very succulent; Great Lakes region.
+
Surfaces dull gray-green (alive); blade apex dissected with 3--5 lobes or projections, cutting somewhat irregular; trophophore stalks somewhat succulent; far w North American mountains.
12 (9)
Distance between 1st and 2d pinna pairs greater than that between 2d and 3d pairs; segments asymmetric, enlarged on acroscopic side.
+
Distance between 1st and 2d pinna pairs same or slightly more than between 2d and 3d pairs; segments asymmetric to symmetric.
13 (12)
Apex of blade undivided or coarsely divided; pinnae ovate--fan-shaped, margins shallowly sinuate; small leaves frequently simple or nearly so; large mature blades subternate to ternate; sporophores 1-pinnate; nearly circumboreal.
+
Apex of blade always finely divided; pinnae fan-shaped to narrowly spatulate, margins crenate to dentate or jagged; small leaves always deeply lobed or pinnate; large mature blades oblong-linear; sporophores 2--3-pinnate; w Minnesota prairie.
14 (12)
Trophophores present; basal pinnae or segments with venation like ribs of fan, midrib absent; basal pinnae fan-shaped to spatulate.
+
Trophophores present or replaced by sporophore; if present, basal pinnae or segment venation pinnate, midrib present, oblanceolate to linear to lanceolate to ovate.
15 (14)
Trophophore blades ovate to deltate.
+
Trophophore blades oblong to oblong-lanceolate.
16 (15)
Sporophores 3--5 times length of trophophores, arising at or just above leaf sheath; blades bright green, pinnae remote or approximate, fan-shaped, papery; widespread, w North America.
+
Sporophores 1--1.5 times length of trophophores, arising high on common stalk; blades dull whitish green, pinnae overlapping, cuneate, leathery; sw Oregon.
17 (15)
Basal pinnae broadly fan-shaped.
+
Basal pinnae narrowly fan-shaped, or cuneate to lanceolate or linear.
18 (17)
Plants herbaceous; trophophores on most plants less than 4 × 1.5 cm; pinnae 2--5 pairs, well separated; margins commonly crenate to dentate; sporophores 1.3--3 times length of trophophore; damp sites; w North America.
+
Plants fleshy; trophophores on most plants more than 5 × 2 cm; pinnae 4--9 pairs, approximate to overlapping; margins usually entire to undulate, rarely dentate; sporophores 0.8--2 times length of trophophore; dry sites; widespread.
19 (17)
Pinnae strongly ascending; margins conspicuously dentate-lacerate.
+
Pinnae spreading or only moderately ascending; outer margins entire to crenate or rarely dentate.
20 (19)
Trophophores ± folded longitudinally when alive, usually to 4 × 1 cm; pinnae to 5 pairs, most proximal pinnae 2-lobed.
+
Trophophores flat or folded only at base when alive, usually to 10 × 2.5 cm; pinnae to 10 pairs, basal pinnae unlobed or if lobed, not usually 2-cleft.
21 (20)
Blades very fleshy; sporophores usually less than 1.5 times length of trophophores; pinnae mostly linear; basal pinna lobes usually ± equal; appearing in spring.
+
Blades herbaceous; sporophores usually 1.5--4 times length of trophophores; pinnae asymmetrically fan-shaped; basal pinna lobes unequal; appearing in late spring.
22 (20)
Blades narrowly oblong, firm to herbaceous; pinnae nearly spheric to fan-shaped; margins shallowly crenate; proximal sporophore branches 1-pinnate.
+
Blades narrowly deltate, leathery; pinnae spatulate to linear-spatulate; margins entire to very coarsely and irregularly dentate; most proximal sporophore branches usually 2-pinnate.
23 (14)
Trophophore replaced by sporophore, yielding 2 sporophores.
+
Trophophore present, fully distinct from sporophore.
24 (23)
Trophophore blades deltate; sporophores divided proximally into several equally long branches.
+
Trophophore blades ovate to oblong (nearly deltate in Botrychium hesperium, deltate-oblong in B. pinnatum); sporophores with single midrib or 1 dominant midrib and 2 smaller ribs.
25 (24)
Trophophore stalk long, equal to length of trophophore rachis; blade mostly ovate-oblong to deltate-oblong; basal pinnae ovate-rhombic; nw North America.
+
Trophophore stalk short to nearly absent, to 1/4 length of trophophore rachis; blade mainly oblong-lanceolate to triangular; most basal pinnae elongate, oblanceolate to oblong to linear or linear-lanceolate.
26 (25)
Large trophophore blades nearly deltate, basal pinna pair elongate; pinnae distal to basal pair approximate to overlapping; segments and lobes rounded at apex.
+
Large trophophore blades mostly oblong-deltate to ovate-oblong; basal pinna pair not elongate; pinnae distal to basal pair remote to approximate; segments and lobes truncate, rounded, or acute at apex.
27 (26)
Sporophores long, 1--3 times length of trophophore; blades dull, blue to green.
+
Sporophores short, only 1--2 times length of trophophore; blades shiny, bright green.
28 (27)
Pinnae ovate to lanceolate, blunt, shallowly to deeply lobed.
+
Pinnae oblanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acuminate, entire to shallowly lobed.
29 (27)
Pinnae acute, oblanceolate to narrowly spatulate, rarely more than 2-lobed; pinnae well separated.
+
Pinnae mostly with rounded apex, ovate to broadly spatulate, to 6-lobed; pinnae approximate to overlapping.
30 (29)
Pinnae of mature trophophores nearly as wide as long, with slightly pointed tips, costa rudimentary, veins otherwise ± like ribs of fan; basal pinnae with only shallow, narrow sinuses and 1--3 lobes.
+
Pinnae of mature trophophores considerably longer than wide, mostly with blunt tips, veins mainly pinnate; basal pinnae with deep, ± wide sinuses and 3--8 lobes.
31 (30)
Pinnae ascending, usually somewhat overlapping; trophophore blades leathery, somewhat shiny; Lake Superior region.
+
Pinnae ± ascending to ± horizontal, usually approximate to somewhat remote; trophophore blades papery, shiny; nw North America.