Leaves and stems:

The leafy frond, called a trophophore, is single near the top of the stem, oblong in outline, with 4 to 7 pairs of leaflets (pinnae), often folded in towards the stalk. The trophophore is 3 to 7 cm (1 to 2¾ inches) long, held erect, stalkless or nearly so. The stem below the tropophore is 2.5 to 10 cm (to 4 inches) long. Pinnae are ascending, spoon to wedge-shaped, the sides straight or concave and span an angle of 45 to 90 degrees. The tip edge is smooth, scalloped, bluntly toothed, or irregularly notched. The lowest pinnae pair is largest, typically more strongly ascending than the rest, may be fan-shaped and often wrap around the sporophore stalk.

Spores:

At the top of the stem is the fertile frond, called a sporophore, 3 to 6 cm (to ~2½ inches) long, 1.2 to 2 times as long as the tropophore at maturity, on a stalk .5 to 2.5 cm (to 1 inch) long, shorter than the tropophore. The sporophore typically has several to numerous short branches, each with several to many round capsules of spores (sporangia) that mature starting in June then turn brown when spores are released in July.

Notes:

Spatulate Moonwort is one of the rarest Botrychium species in Minnesota, only known from a handful of locations in the central and northern counties. Its broader range spans across southern Canada, extending farther north in the west up to northern Alaska, and barely creeps into the lower 48 in Montana, around the Great Lakes, and possibly New England. According to the DNR, it was first discovered in Crow Wing County in 1998 and since then only a few additional locations have been found. While the habitats across its range are primarily dunes, grassy meadows and open woods, in Minnesota the most common habitat is around abandoned mine dumps and tailings basins that have naturally revegetated over time, though it's also been found in grassy or brushy openings in forested areas. It was listed as Endangered in 2013.

Its most distinctive characteristic is the tropophore, which is stalkless or nearly so with 4 to 7 pairs of pinnae that are ascending, span an angle of 45 to 90 degrees, are mostly spoon to wedge-shaped, straight or concave on the sides, and tips are smooth, scalloped, blunt-toothed or irregularly notched. The lowest pair are largest, more strongly ascending than the rest, may be fan-shaped, and often wrap around the sporophore stalk. At maturity, the sporophore is 1.2 to 2 times as long as the tropophore, the stalk .5 to 2.5 cm long and shorter than the tropophore.

Most similar is B. ascendens (Upswept Moonwort), which is similar in many respects but the pinnae tips are usually decidedly toothier and when notched, the lobes tend to be symmetrical. B. minganense (Mingan Moonwort) is sometimes similar, but its tropophore may be stalked, pinnae tend to be more fan-shaped, and the lowest pair can span up to 120 degrees.

The shape of the pinnae may be similar to other Botrychiums as well, but these can all be variable on individuals so it's helpful to examine multiple plants within a population (if you can find them). Having said that, Botrychium identification is difficult even for the experts so don't be discouraged if you struggle to get it down to species.