BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Lycopodium annotinum | Stiff Clubmoss 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Stiff clubmoss is a native, perennial, evergreen clubmoss. The
aboveground horizontal stem of stiff clubmoss is long, creeping, and
forked with ascending or erect branches.  The main stem is generally 40
inches (100 cm) long, and branches are typically 0.8 to 16 inches (2-40
cm) tall.  Vegetative leaves are whorled, and fertile leaves form a
sessile strobilus at the end of a branch [10,14,19,27,37].  Roots are
adventitious and arise from the underside of the prostrate stem [44].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Hemicryptophyte
   Geophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Stiff clubmoss is a clonal species, reproducing primarily by sprouting
from rhizomes [8,38].  It also produces spores and a subterranean,
mycorrhizal gametophyte [32,40].  Stiff clubmoss is homosporous but
usually cross-fertilizes [38].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Stiff clubmoss most commonly inhabits moist woods, thickets, bogs, and
meadows [10,19,20,21].  Sites are typically cool and shaded but
occasionally may be dry, exposed, and rocky [3,5,27,35].  Soils are
acidic, well to poorly drained, and have mesic to subhygric moisture
regimes [6,14,25].  Stiff clubmoss occurs from sea level to alpine zones
and has been found at 11,000 feet (3,300 m) in Colorado [19,34].
Occurrence of stiff clubmoss increases with increasing latitude [23].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Stiff clubmoss is shade tolerant [25].  It occurs in mature forests
throughout its range [5,15,28,30,42].  In Isle Royale National Park,
Michigan, occurrence of stiff clubmoss is largely related to forest
communities undisturbed for 100 or more years [18].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Stiff clubmoss spores develop from late July to early October [10].

Related categories for Species: Lycopodium annotinum | Stiff Clubmoss