Your help is appreciated. We depend on donations to help keep this site free and up to date for you. Can you please help us?

Donate

Native Plant Trust: Go Botany Discover thousands of New England plants

Lycopodium

See list of 2 species in this genus

Lycopodium has been split into smaller, homogeneous groups on the basis of sporophyte 
and gametophyte morphology, chromosome number, and anatomy (Bruce 1975, Øllgaard 1987, Wagner and Beitel 1993). These genera also have different life histories and hybridization patterns that support the recognition of multiple genera (rather than a broadly defined Lycopodium). Hybrids have not been reported from New England Lycopodium; however, intermediate forms are not uncommon at some locations.

  • 1a. Strobilus stalks with a solitary strobilus, sometimes with a second sessile strobilus; upright shoots with 2 or 3 ascending branches; trophophylls 3–5 mm long; sporophylls usually gradually tapering to the apex
  • 1b. Strobilus stalks with 1–5 strobili, commonly with 2 or more and each with a short stalk-like branch; upright shoots with 3–6 spreading branches; trophophylls 4–6 mm long; sporophylls usually abruptly tapering to the apex

 Show photos of:   Each photo represents one species in this genus.