Botrychium multifidum — leathery grapefern
![Plant form: Botrychium multifidum. ~ By Lawrence Newcomb. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-multifidum-ha-lnewcomb.jpg)
![Leaf: Botrychium multifidum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-multifidum-le-ahaines-b.jpg)
![Detail of leaf and/or divisions: Botrychium multifidum. ~ By Ben Legler. ~ Copyright © 2024 Ben Legler. ~ mountainmarmot[at]hotmail.com ~ U. of Washington - WTU - Herbarium - biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection.php](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-multifidum-ld-blegler.jpg)
![Leaf: Botrychium multifidum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-multifidum-le-ahaines-c.jpg)
![Plant form: Botrychium multifidum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-multifidum-ha-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Sori: Botrychium multifidum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ophioglossaceae/botrychium-multifidum-so-ahaines-b.jpg)
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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
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
enlargeCharacteristics
- 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
-
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