Moonwort

Common Name: Moonwort

Latin Name: Botrychium lunaria

Family: Ophioglossaceae (Adder’s tongue fern family)

Moonwort is an unusual looking fern, whose fleshy leaves consist of numerous half moon shaped leaflets and spores are borne on a green spike between June and August. The total height of the plant is no more than 30cm and can be difficult to see amongst the grass in its upland habitat.

In the Yorkshire Dales National Park, moonwort has been recorded in short calcareous grassland, on old lead mine spoil heaps such as Ballowfield Local Nature Reserve (Wensleydale) and to altitudes of 600m on the peaks of Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent. In addition, in 2004 it was found to be abundant on localised stretches of road verge near Leyburn in Wensleydale leading to speculation about whether this species is salt tolerant.