• You are here:
• Dichotomous Key
• Lycopodiaceae
• Diphasiastrum
• Diphasiastrum sitchense

Diphasiastrum sitchense — Sitka ground-cedar

Facts

Sitka ground-cedar is a rare inhabitant of exposed alpine and subalpine sites in Maine and New Hampshire, though it sometimes occurs in disturbed habitats at lower elevations in northern Maine. Hiker traffic and erosion are potential threats to alpine populations of this rare plant.

Habitat

Alpine or subalpine zones, anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields

Characteristics

• Clonal plantlets

  Gemma arrangement

  NA

  Gemma shape

  NA

  Gemma width

  0 mm

• Leaves

  Leaf differences

  the vegetative leaves within a node are all similar in size and shape

  Leaf length

  3.4–5.6 mm

  Leaf orientation

  the vegetative leaves are pressed against the stem

  Leaf outline

  the vegetative leaves are widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip (lanceolate)

  Leaf ranks

  5

  Leaf shape

  the vegetative leaves are short and scale-like

  Pores on leaves

  there are pores on both sides of the vegetative leaves

  Spore leaf length

  1.8–3.6 mm

  Teeth on leaf edges

  the edges of the vegetative leaves have no teeth

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Maine
  • New Hampshire

  Specific habitat

  • alpine or subalpine zones
  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • meadows or fields

• Spores or spore cones

  Cone base at stem

  the base of the spore-cone does not have a distinct stalk

  Cone stalk branching

  • NA
  • the stalks bearing the spore cones are unbranched

  Cone thickness

  At least 0 mm

  Cone width

  3–5 mm

  Length of cone

  4.5–38 mm

  Number of cones

  1

  Quillwort itssue covering spores

  NA

  Same or different spores

  there is only one type of spore present

  Spore girdle

  NA

  Spore leaf arrangement

  the sporophylls are located on spore cones at the tips of the shoots or branches

  Spore leaf lifespan

  the sporophylls wither and fall off at the end of the growing season

  Spore leaf orientation

  the sporophylls are pressed against the spore cone

  Spore leaf shape

  the spore-bearing leaves are small and scale-like

  Spore leaf teeth

  The edges of the spore-bearing leaves are smooth, and without teeth

  Spore texture

  the spore surface has a net-like pattern on it (reticulate)

  Sterile tip of cone

  the spore cone does not have a slender, sterile tip (the whole cone produces spores)

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Branch cross-section

  the outermost level of branches are round, elliptic or semicircular in cross-section

  Branch form

  the branches are smaller than the main stem

  Constriction zones

  • there are constricted zones on the horizontal stem where the leaves are smaller smaller or closer together
  • there are constricted zones on the vertical stem where the leaves are smaller smaller or closer together

  Form of shoot

  the plant has an upright stem, and the stem has simple branches

  Horizontal stem

  the horizontal stem is on the surface of the ground

  Horizontal stem thickness

  1–2.7 mm

  Stem height

  55–175 mm

Wetland status

Not classified

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae