Taxon Report

Botrychium minganense Victorin

Mingan moonwort

Print Report


© 2011 Aaron E. Sims

Taxon Summary

Botrychium minganense, commonly known as Mingan moonwort, is a perennial rhizomatous herb in the Ophioglossaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Bogs and fens, Lower montane coniferous forest, Meadows and seeps (edges), and Upper montane coniferous forest, growing at elevations from 1190 to 3290 meters. Botrychium minganense is ranked 4.2, Plants of Limited Distribution, A Watch List; Moderately threatened in California.

  Classification
Scientific Name:
 Botrychium minganense Victorin
Common Name:
 Mingan moonwort
Family: Ophioglossaceae
Element Code: PPOPH010R0
USDA Plants Symbol: BOMI
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History
Lifeform: perennial rhizomatous herb
Blooming Period: Jul-Sep(Oct) Jul-Sep(Oct)
Elevation: 1190-3290 (3905-10795)
General Habitats: Bogs and fens, Lower montane coniferous forest, Meadows and seeps, Upper montane coniferous forest
Microhabitat: Mesic
Microhabitat Details: Frequently co-occurs with B. ascendens, B. crenulatum or B. montanum

Conservation Status
CA Rare Plant Rank: 4.2
Global Rank: G5
State Rank:
 S4
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status: USFS_S
CRPR Changes:
  • changed from 2B.2 to 4.2 on 2023-02-15
  • changed from 2.2 to 2B.2 on 2013-06-12

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB
Total Occurrences: 161
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 11
   Good (B) 48
   Fair (C) 22
   Poor (D) 11
   None (X) 1
   Unknown (U) 68

Location
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Amador (AMA), Butte (BUT), Calaveras (CAL), El Dorado (ELD), Fresno (FRE), Lassen (LAS), Madera (MAD), Modoc (MOD), Mono (MNO), Nevada (NEV), Placer (PLA), Plumas (PLU), Shasta (SHA), Sierra (SIE), Siskiyou (SIS), Tehama (TEH), Trinity (TRI), Tulare (TUL), Tuolumne (TUO)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
American House (3912161), Antelope Mtn. (4012058), Barkley Mtn. (4012126), Bear River Reservoir (3812052), Belden (4012113), Blairsden (3912075), Boards Crossing (3812032), Bunker Hill (3912014), Butte Meadows (4012115), Calaveras Dome (3812042), Canyondam (4012121), Caples Lake (3812061), Cascade (3912162), Cherry Lake North (3811918), Convict Lake (3711857), Crocker Mtn. (3912084), Diamond Mtn. (4012036), Dorrington (3812033), Duncan Peak (3912025), Dunderberg Peak (3811913), Emerald Bay (3812081), Emigrant Lake (3811926), Fredonyer Pass (4012037), Grays Peak (4012146), Grizzly Valley (3912085), Hatchet Mtn. Pass (4012177), Haypress Valley (3912055), Hobart Mills (3912042), Hull Creek (3812011), Humboldt Peak (4012124), Humbug Valley (4012123), Independence Lake (3912043), Jonesville (4012114), Kaiser Peak (3711932), Kimshew Point (3912184), Kyburz (3812073), La Porte (3912068), Lassen Peak (4012145), Leek Spring Hill (3812063), Liberty Hill (3812031), Little Shuteye Peak (3711944), Lodgepole (3611856), Loon Lake (3812083), Lyonsville (4012136), Martis Peak (3912031), Meeks Bay (3912011), Miller Mtn. (4012167), Mineral (4012135), Moses Mtn. (3611836), Mt. Harkness (4012143), Mt. Silliman (3611866), Mumbo Basin (4112225), Norden (3912033), North Palisade (3711815), Onion Valley (3912078), Peddler Hill (3812053), Pegleg Mtn. (4012048), Red Cinder (4012142), Riverton (3812074), Robbs Peak (3812084), Roop Mountain (4012047), Sattley (3912054), Seven Lakes Basin (4112224), Shields Creek (4112043), Silver City (3611846), Skunk Ridge (4112117), Soapstone Hill (3912173), South Lake Tahoe (3811988), Sphinx Lakes (3611865), Swain Mountain (4012141), Tahoe City (3912022), Tamarack (3812041), Tangle Blue Lake (4112226), Templeton Mtn. (3611832), Tioga Pass (3711983), Tragedy Spring (3812062), Triple Divide Peak (3611855), Viola (4012156), West Haight Mtn. (4112251), Westwood East (4012038), Westwood West (4012131), Ycatapom Peak (4112217)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 14
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
93 58 %
Logging 43 26%
Grazing 28 17%
Foot traffic/trampling 20 12%
Other 15 9%
Road/trail construction/maint. 10 6%
Wood cutting or brush clearing 6 3%
Altered flood/tidal/hydrologic regime 6 3%
Improper burning regime 5 3%
Surface water diversion 3 1%
Recreational use (non-ORV) 3 1%
Non-native plant impacts 3 1%
ORV activity 3 1%
Groundwater pumping 1 0%
Vandalism/dumping/litter 1 0%

Notes
Threats:
Threatened by logging and related activities, livestock grazing and trampling, hydrologic changes, water diversions, habitat loss, road and utility line maintenance, recreational activities and foot traffic, off-road vehicles, wildfire and fuel reduction projects, non-native plants, disturbance associated with riparian or meadow enhancement. Possibly threatened by alteration of fire regimes and extirpation due to small population size.
Taxonomy:
Evidently an allotetraploid species (n = 90) from a cross between B. neolunaria and B. “farrarii” ined. (both diploids with n = 45). Similar to B. crenulatum which is more delicate, has fewer pinna pairs and a diploid chromosome number (n = 45).

Selected References

Proposed Change from CRPR 2B.2, G5 / S3 to 4.2, G5 / S4 
Proceedings and Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, sér. 3, 21: 331 (1927)
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 120: 342–353 (2018)
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 27 January 2025].