clubmosses

Clubmosses are small, evergreen vascular plants in the family Lycopodiaceae, part of the lycophyte lineage. They are not true mosses, although their low, carpet-like growth often resembles moss on the forest floor. Clubmosses are widely distributed, flourishing in moist, shaded habitats from temperate woodlands to tropical forests and bogs.

Morphology: They have creeping underground rhizomes and vertical shoots bearing tiny, scale-like leaves called microphylls, usually in whorls at each node and often with dichotomous branching. The club-shaped cones or strobili at the ends of fertile shoots produce sporangia that release spores.

Life cycle: Clubmosses are seedless; the dominant diploid sporophyte produces spores in the sporangia. Most Lycopodiaceae are homosporous, producing a single type of spore that gives rise to a free-living gametophyte. The gametophyte is usually small and may be subterranean or partly hidden, and fertilization requires liquid water for the motile sperm to reach the egg.

Ecology and evolution: They form a major component of forest floor communities; epiphytic in some tropical species; older lineages with ancient vascular plant features; morphology includes microphylls and dichotomous branching that distinguish them from seed plants.

Taxonomy and uses: In current classifications, clubmosses belong to Lycopodiaceae, including genera such as Lycopodium, Diphasiastrum, Huperzia, and Lycopodiella. Some species are grown in gardens or terraria for decorative foliage; dried spores were historically used for various purposes, including as flash powder in early photography.