GRANT, JASON R. Institut de botanique, Laboratoire de phanérogamie, Université de Neuchâtel, ch. de Chantemerle 18, Neuchâtel 2007, Switzerland. - The genus Botrychium (Ophioglossaceae) in the interior of Alaska – Herb Wagner’s final conquest.
During an on-going floristic project in the interior of Alaska, numerous
accessions of Botrychium were made and sent to Warren Herb Wagner for
identification. Several of these were of such interest that during the
summer of 1999, Herb and Florence Wagner came to Fairbanks where we
spent a week collecting moonworts. At least five species were identified
including Botrychium lanceolatum, B. lunaria, B. minganense,
B. pinnatum, and a new species. This new species, appears to be
related to B. pinnatum and B. boreale. At present, there
doesn’t appear to be any need for concern for the habitats of these
species, as all seem to thrive best in recently disturbed sites as revegetating
river sandbars, maintained lawns, long-fallow agriculture fields, and
especially in ditches and along sides of highways. In the interior of Alaska,
Botrychium lunaria is the most commonly encountered species with
B. minganense following soon thereafter. The new species is
abundant where found. Botrychium lanceolatum, B. pinnatum, and the
second putative new species are infrequently encountered within the
large populations of B. lunaria, B. minganense and the new
species. The Wagner’s trip to Alaska represents one of Herb’s last field
exercises. A photographic travelogue of the trip, of these moonworts and other
pteridophytes of the interior of Alaska will be presented.
Key words: Alaska, Botrychium, ecology, habitats, taxonomy