Lycopodium clavatum
A common soft clubmoss running along the forest floor
Lycopodium clavatum common clubmoss
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This common evergreen clubmoss has a trailing habit and runs all over the forest floor. Stems are clustered, upright, soft green and covered with small, light green leaves.
Habitat & Range
Found in open woods, thickets, and fields; moist and well-drained wooded areas; occasionally bog edges.
Range is from eastern Canada south to Virginia and east toward Kentucky and Minnesota.
| EMP: | FAC |
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| NCNE: | FAC |
Phenology
This clubmoss overwinters.
Characteristics
Horizontal stem near the surface; semi-arching or prostrate and creeping; branching and interlacing; often forms dense, large colonies; rooting at intervals; densely covered with leaves.
Upright stems 4 to 10 in. tall. Densely leafy; evergreen; clustered, branched 3 to 6 times, with the branches emerging mostly from the lower half of the stem; branches of various lengths.
Lateral branches similar to upright stems, but somewhat spreading, with conspicuous annual constrictions.
Leaves 1/3 in. long. Narrow, tapering upward to a think, colorless, bristle tip; edges smooth to toothed. Leaves usually spreading, sometimes ascending along upper portions of branches.
Strobilus 3 in. long. Strobili on branched peduncles 8-15 cm long, simple or forked, bearing one or more slender cones. Peduncles (stalks) covered with reduced, scattered leaves.
Sporophyll yellow-tan; with abrupt, hairlike tip; sides irregularly toothed.
Plant Codes
S-rank: S5 (Secure)
G-rank: G5 (Secure)
APG/Taxonomization Info
Discovered and named by Linnaeus, the epithet clavatum is from Latin clavatus meaning 'a gradual thickening toward the distal end' alluding to the club-shaped enlargement of the strobili.
Lycopodium clavatum common clubmoss
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