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Spinulum annotinum

(Linnaeus) A. Haines

Stiff Clubmoss

G5Secure Found in 128 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157403
Element CodePPLYC01030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumLycophyta
ClassLycopodiopsida
OrderLycopodiales
FamilyLycopodiaceae
GenusSpinulum
Synonyms
Lycopodium annotinumL.
Other Common Names
Bristly Clubmoss (EN) Lycopode innovant (FR) stiff clubmoss (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
This record is for Spinulum annotinum in a broad sense as recognized in Kurtto and Uotila (2019), which includes Lycopodium canadense in the synonymy of Spinulum annotinum ssp. alpestre and is equivalent to the concept recognized as Lycopodium annotinum in Kartesz (1994, 1999). Brouillet et al. (2024) also recognize Spinulum annotinum ssp. alpestre (with S. canadense included in synonymy), and Spinulum annotinum ssp. annotinum. The treatments in FNA (1993) and Kartesz (1999) distinguished no infrataxa in Lycopodium annotinum. Kartesz (1994) had recognized four varieties of L. annotinum: acrifolium, alpestre, annotinum, and pungens. Haines (2003) recognizes a narrower concept of Spinulum annotinum with S. canadense treated as a distinct species. According to their synonymy, the concept of Spinulum annotinum recognized in Weakley et al. (2024) is equivalent to the concept narrow concept recognized in Haines (2003).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2015-07-22
Change Date1985-08-30
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Stiff club-moss, a perennial, has elongated horizontal stems trailing on the ground, rooting at intervals, mostly unbranched. Upright shoots are clustered, mainly unbranched or sparsely branched near the base, 1.2-1.6 cm in diameter and to 20 cm or more in height; annual bud constrictions abrupt and conspicuous. Lateral branchlets few but without the annual constrictions. Leaves dark green, spreading to reflexed, linear-lanceolate (lance-shaped) 2.5 x 6 mm, stiff, sharp pointed, lacking a hair tip. Strobili (cone-like structure composed of overlapping scales bearing spore-containing structures) sessile at the ends of the shoots, solitary, 15-30 x 3.5-4.5 mm. Sporophylls (scales of the strobili) to 3.4 x 2 mm, abruptly narrowed to pointed tips.

Diagnostic Characteristics

Horizontal stems, on substrate surface; upright shoots branched or unbranched, with conspicuous annual bud constrictions; leaves 8-ranked, dark green, speading to reflexed, sharp pointed, serrate near tip, lacking a hair tip. Strobili single, sessile on upright branches.

Habitat

This species occurs in exposed grassy or rocky places, swampy or moist coniferous and mountain forests, at elevations ranging from 0 to 1,850 meters (Wagner Jr. and Beitel, 2022).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - Conifer
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLAND
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
SaskatchewanS5Yes
Prince Edward IslandS5Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
ManitobaS5Yes
QuebecSNRYes
NunavutS5Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
New BrunswickS5Yes
Yukon TerritoryS5Yes
LabradorS5Yes
OntarioSNRYes
AlbertaS5Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
IdahoSNRYes
VermontS5Yes
New JerseyS1Yes
AlaskaSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
New YorkSNRYes
ColoradoS4Yes
Rhode IslandS1Yes
North CarolinaS1Yes
MarylandS4Yes
South DakotaS1Yes
New MexicoS2Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
ConnecticutS4Yes
West VirginiaS4Yes
OregonS3Yes
TennesseeSHYes
New HampshireSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
MontanaS4Yes
WyomingS2Yes
VirginiaS3Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (128)
Alaska (49)
AreaForestAcres
Bering LakeChugach National Forest965,076
Boston BarChugach National Forest53,617
Brabazon AdditionTongass National Forest498,819
ChichagofTongass National Forest555,858
Chugach-12Chugach National Forest8,116
Chugach-13Chugach National Forest13,337
ClevelandTongass National Forest189,447
College FiordChugach National Forest1,130,818
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
CrystalTongass National Forest18,972
Douglas IslandTongass National Forest28,065
EudoraTongass National Forest195,022
Fidalgo-GravinaChugach National Forest257,968
Freshwater BayTongass National Forest44,933
Game CreekTongass National Forest54,469
GravinaTongass National Forest37,381
Green RocksTongass National Forest11,093
Hoonah SoundTongass National Forest79,764
Johnson PassChugach National Forest152,508
Juneau UrbanTongass National Forest101,581
Juneau-Skagway IcefieldTongass National Forest1,187,268
Kenai LakeChugach National Forest213,172
Kenai MountainsChugach National Forest306,600
KosciuskoTongass National Forest64,134
LindenbergTongass National Forest25,855
MadanTongass National Forest68,553
Mansfield PeninsulaTongass National Forest54,991
Nellie JuanChugach National Forest713,697
North BaranofTongass National Forest314,089
North KupreanofTongass National Forest114,660
North RevillaTongass National Forest215,430
North WrangellTongass National Forest8,091
Port AlexanderTongass National Forest120,681
QuartzTongass National Forest143,003
RedoubtTongass National Forest68,347
ResurrectionChugach National Forest224,615
RhineTongass National Forest23,010
Roaded DonutChugach National Forest968
SarkarTongass National Forest51,908
Sheridan GlacierChugach National Forest224,683
South KruzofTongass National Forest55,193
South KupreanofTongass National Forest216,816
South RevillaTongass National Forest52,105
SpiresTongass National Forest533,746
Taku-SnettishamTongass National Forest664,928
Twenty MileChugach National Forest198,775
Upper SitukTongass National Forest16,789
Windham-Port HoughtonTongass National Forest161,952
Yakutat ForelandsTongass National Forest323,648
Colorado (1)
AreaForestAcres
Comanche Peak Adjacent AreaArapaho & Roosevelt NFs44,158
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bighorn - WeitasNez Perce-Clearwater National Forest254,845
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
Michigan (2)
AreaForestAcres
DeliriumHiawatha National Forest190
Government IslandHiawatha National Forest225
Minnesota (6)
AreaForestAcres
Baker - Homer - Brule LakesSuperior National Forest6,712
Brule Lake - Eagle MountainSuperior National Forest12,380
Cabin CreekSuperior National Forest6,071
Hegman LakesSuperior National Forest675
Kawishiwi Lake To SawbillSuperior National Forest15,305
Tait LakeSuperior National Forest6,327
Montana (17)
AreaForestAcres
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLolo National Forest118,485
Big Snowy Mountains WsaLewis and Clark National Forest88,003
Bmss Ra 1485Flathead National Forest334,275
Buckhorn Ridge (MT)Kootenai National Forest34,716
Gallatin FringeGallatin National Forest51,571
HoodooLolo National Forest105,162
Hyalite - Porcupine - Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study AreaGallatin National Forest143,991
MadisonGallatin National Forest127,859
Marston Face # 172Kootenai National Forest9,098
Middle Fork Judith WsaLewis and Clark National Forest81,131
Mt. Henry #666Kootenai National Forest13,603
North AbsarokaGallatin National Forest159,075
Silver KingBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest64,289
Stony MountainBitterroot National Forest44,057
Ten Lakes #683Kootenai National Forest48,545
Thompson Seton #483Kootenai National Forest29,379
Willard Estelle #173Kootenai National Forest3,714
New Hampshire (13)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
JobildunkWhite Mountain National Forest3,660
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
WatervilleWhite Mountain National Forest4,312
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Columbine - Hondo Wilderness Study AreaCarson National Forest43,739
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Pennsylvania (2)
AreaForestAcres
CornplanterAllegheny National Forest2,929
Minister ValleyAllegheny National Forest1,417
Vermont (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Lye Brook Addition 09085Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,111
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Laurel ForkGeorge Washington National Forest9,967
Washington (14)
AreaForestAcres
Dry Canyon BreaksColville National Forest4,821
Glacier Peak KMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest47,269
Glacier Peak LMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest14,084
Grassy TopIdaho Panhandle National Forests13,485
Harvey CreekColville National Forest10,140
Liberty BellOkanogan National Forest108,495
Long SwampOkanogan National Forest66,344
Mt. Baker Noisy - DiobsudMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest56,039
Mt. Baker NorthMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest16,873
Mt. Baker WestMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest25,390
Pasayten RimOkanogan National Forest17,074
QuilceneOlympic National Forest18,656
Salmo - Priest BColville National Forest11,869
SawtoothOkanogan National Forest122,194
West Virginia (11)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
East Fork Of GreenbrierMonongahela National Forest7,167
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
Turkey MountainMonongahela National Forest6,421
Wisconsin (3)
AreaForestAcres
09011 - Flynn Lake Study AreaChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest5,951
09154 - St. Peters DomeChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest4,002
09159 - ThornappleChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest9,744
Wyoming (2)
AreaForestAcres
Illinois CreekMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest6,711
Platte River AdditionMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest7,962
References (9)
  1. Brouillet, L., F. Coursol, S. Meades, M. Favreau, and M. Anions. 2024. VASCAN, the Database of Vascular Plants of Canada. Online. Available: http://data.canadensys.net/vascan/ (Accessed 2024).
  2. Dodds, J. 2022. Lycopodium annotinum Rare Plant Profile. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites, State Forest Fire Service & Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management, New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton, NJ. 15 pp. [https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/natural/heritage/docs/lycopodium-annotinum-stiff-club-moss.pdf]
  3. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1993a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 2. Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xvi + 475 pp.
  4. Haines, A. 2003. The families Huperizaceae and Lycopodiaceae of New England: a taxonomic and ecological reference. V. F. Thomas Co.
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  7. Kurtto, A. and P. Uotila. 2019. New combinations in the vascular flora of Finland, in the genera Spinulum, Oxybasis and Potentilla. Memoranda Soc. Fauna Flora Fennica 95: 36–39.
  8. Wagner Jr., W.H. and J.M. Beitel. 2022. Flora of North America. <i>Lycopodium annotinum</i>. Accessed: September 20, 2022. http://floranorthamerica.org/Lycopodium_annotinum
  9. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.