Unidentified Grapefern
possibly Lunaria multifidum ?
The photos on this page show a grapefern or
moonwort as seen on grassy, dry soils at a slightly higher elevation than the
vernally moist meadows at the trailhead for the Muddy Meadows Trail #13 on the
northern slopes of Mt. Adams. The fertile part of the leaf blade is shown with
the evident, grape-like sporangia which gives this genus its name of "grapefern".
No sterile blade was noticed. The fertile blade itself is about 10 cm
long.
Paul Slichter