The fertile part of the leaf is very different in shape, with grapelike clusters of round sporangia producing spores by which it reproduces.

[9][10] It also occurs in north Africa, the Himalayas, and temperate zones of Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand and South America.

[1][11] Although its distribution is patchy, and it may be locally rare, it is rated as of least concern in The IUCN Red List of threatened species.

[15] Botrychium lunaria is a species which grows on relatively dry to moist short grassland, meadows, small woods, heaths and moors frequently on higher ground and rarely in forests, either deciduous or pine, or open woodland.

[1] In Finland the plant suffers from modern agriculture, loss of rough pastures and eutrophication of glades and dry meadows[16] and its status is near threatened.