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Native Plant Trust: Go Botany Discover thousands of New England plants

Botrychium multifidum — leathery grapefern

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Facts

Leathery grapefern is the largest of New England's grapeferns (a group within the genus Botrychium). In early summer, the previous year's withered sterile frond can sometimes be found on the plant along with the new frond.

Habitat

Forest edges

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf divisions
  • the leaf blade is three times compound (divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets), or more
  • the leaf blade is twice compound (divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets)
Plant growth form
the leaves grow on a stalk that also holds the sporophore, or spore-bearing leaf
Spore-bearing leaflets
the spore-bearing fronds are dramatically different from the sterile fronds
Sorus shape
there are no sori, or they are concealed in leaf segments or hardened, capsule-like structures derived from a modified leaflet
Leaf stalk scales
there are no scales on the leaf stalk
Leaf stalk hairs
  • the leaf stalk has hairs
  • there are no hairs on the leaf stalk
Leaf blade length
3–15 cm
Leaf vein tips
the veins go all the way to the edge of the leaf blade
Show all characteristics
  • Growth form

    Life form
    the plant is herbaceous and terrestrial
    Life stage
    the plant is visible as a typical leaf-bearing fern (sporophyte)
    Spore-bearing leaflets
    the spore-bearing fronds are dramatically different from the sterile fronds
  • Leaves

    Features of leaves
    there are no special features on the leaves
    Leaf blade length
    3–15 cm
    Leaf blade shape
    the leaf blades are roughly triangular
    Leaf blade tip shape
    the tip of the leaf blade is rounded
    Leaf blade width
    At least 1 cm
    Leaf divisions
    • the leaf blade is three times compound (divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets), or more
    • the leaf blade is twice compound (divided into leaflets, which are further divided into leaflets)
    Leaf lifespan
    the leaves remain green all year round, or are green in winter
    Leaf stalk color
    • green
    • yellow to brown
    Leaf stalk hairs
    • the leaf stalk has hairs
    • there are no hairs on the leaf stalk
    Leaf stalk length
    20–150 mm
    Leaf stalk relative length
    the leaf stalk is more than three quarters as long as the blade
    Leaf stalk scale location
    there are no scales on the leaf stalk
    Leaf stalk scales
    there are no scales on the leaf stalk
    Leaf stalk vessels
    1 bundle, U-shaped
    Leaf vein branching
    the secondary veins of the leaf blade branch dichotomously (two equal branches at each branch point)
    Leaf vein tips
    the veins go all the way to the edge of the leaf blade
    Leaflet relative size
    the bottom leaflets are at least one and a half times as long as the leaflets from the middle of the frond
    Leaflet stalks
    • the leaflets are stalked
    • the leaflets do not have stalks
    Lobe or leaflet length
    9–125 mm
    Lobe or leaflet pairs
    1–8
    Lobe or leaflet shape
    the lobe or leaflet is widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends; egg-shaped
    Lobe or leaflet width
    2–5 mm
    Plant growth form
    the leaves grow on a stalk that also holds the sporophore, or spore-bearing leaf
    final leaf segment margin
    • the topmost lobe or leaflet of the leaf blade has a smooth or lobed edge
    • the topmost lobe or leaflet of the leaf blade has an edge with teeth
  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    edges of forests
  • Spores or spore cones

    Sorus features
    there are no special features on the sorus
    Sorus shape
    there are no sori, or they are concealed in leaf segments or hardened, capsule-like structures derived from a modified leaflet
    Sporangia location
    the spores are formed on a stalk (sporangiophore)
    Sporangium type
    the spores are enclosed in a hardened, capsule-like structure (sporocarp)
    Spore forms
    there is only one type of spore present

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)
Vermont
uncommon (S-rank: S3)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

8.  Botrychium multifidum (Gmel.) Rupr. N

leathery grapefern. Botrychium multifidum (Gmel.) Rupr. var. intermedium (D.C. Eat.) Farw.; Osmunda multifida Gmel.; Sceptridium multifidum (Gmel.) Nishida ex Tagawa • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Chiefly in open areas, sometimes at forest edges or in forest openings.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Botrychium dissectum:
leaf highly dissected into linear segments or irregularly divided into segments of very different sizes (vs. B. multifidum, with vegetative portion of the leaf regularly divided into mostly oblong or ovate segments).
Botrychium rugulosum:
ultimate segments of vegetative portion of leaf angular, denticulate, mostly 2-5 mm wide, somewhat channeled and concave abaxially, semiherbaceous (vs. B. multifidum, with ultimate segments of vegetative portion of leaf rounded to obtusely pointed, entire to weakly creunulate, mostly 4-8 mm wide, plane, coriaceous).

Synonyms

  • Botrychium multifidum (Gmel.) Rupr.
  • Botrychium multifidum (Gmel.) Rupr. var. intermedium (D.C. Eat.) Farw.
  • Osmunda multifida  Gmel.
  • Sceptridium multifidum (Gmel.) Nishida ex Tagawa

Genus

Botrychium