Lycopodium lagopus

Running Pine is a low evergreen perennial with densely leafy, branched, upright shoots that are 5-8 mm in diameter including the leaves, arising from sparsely leafy, rooted, horizontal stems at the surface. Upright shoots have 2-4 low, ascending vegetative branches and a taller, terminal branch that usually bears a single club-like cone. Appressed to ascending green leaves are crowded on the branches in longitudinal rows of six or more. The leaves are 3-5 mm long by 0.4-0.7 mm wide, with smooth margins and pointed tips ending with hairs. A solitary (rarely 2) terminal cone is borne on an unbranched peduncle , 3.5-12.5 cm long, with sparse appressed leaves. The cone is 20-55 mm long by 3-5 mm long, and is composed of tightly packed sporophylls that are 1.5-2.5 mm long and gradually taper to a a hair tip. Kidney shaped sporangia are borne within at the bases of the sporophylls.

LYCOPODIUM LAGOPUS is most closely related to LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM. Both species have branched upright shoots, hair tipped leaves in rows of 6 or more, and cones on peduncles distinct from leafy branches. The latter differs by having more lateral spreading branches rather than ascending ones, longer, more spreading leaves, and 2-5 cones borne on a loosely branched peduncle. A hand lens may be needed for positive identification.