Lycopodium Sp. - Club-moss

Family: Lycopodiaceae (Club-moss) ^[E-flora]

Local Species;

1. Lycopodium alpinum - Alpine clubmoss ^[PCBC2004] Now Diphasiastrum alpinum ^[E-flora]
2. Lycopodium annotinum - Stiff club-moss ^{[E-flora][PCBC2004]}
3. Lycopodium clavatum - Running club-moss ^{[PCBC2004][E-flora]}
4. Lycopodium complanatum - Ground-cedar ^[PCBC2004] Now Diphasiastrum complanatum ^[E-flora]
5. Lycopodium dendroideum - Ground-pine ^[PCBC2004] Now Dendrolycopodium dendroideum ^[E-flora]
6. Lycopodium lagopus - Ptarmigan club-moss ^[E-flora]
7. Lycopodium selago - Fir Clubmoss ^[PCBC2004] Now Huperzia selago ^[E-flora]
8. Lycopodium sitchense - Alaska clubmoss ^[PCBC2004] Now Diphasiastrum sitchense ^[E-flora]

Related Sp.

• Huperzia continentalis - Alpine fir-moss ^[E-flora]
• Huperzia miyoshiana - Pacific fir-moss ^[E-flora]
• Huperzia occidentalis - Western fir clubmoss ^[E-flora]

Mentioned Species:

• Lycopodium species, including L. annotinum, Lycopodium clavatum, L. complanatum ^[Schofield]

Hazards

"Species identification is extremely important; L. selago should NOT be used internally. It contains an alkaloid that can cause mouth pain, diarrhea, and vomiting." ^[Schofield]

"Medical supervision is recommended even for internal use of approved species. ... people who suffer from diarrhea should use the tea only with the greatest caution as cramps in the intestines could result." ^[Schofield]

Other Use

• Dye
  • "Any club moss species may be experimented with as a dye assistant (mordant) to fix colors for natural dyeing." ^[Schofield]
• Reproductive capsules:
  • L. clatavtum & L. complanatum; The powder "contains a waxy substance that is extremely water repellent. It is reported that if you coat your hand with club moss powder and submerge it in water, it will remain completely dry." ^[Schofield]
  • L. clatavtum & L. complanatum; "The friction-reducing powder is frequently used as a dusting powder for condoms, as a pharmaceutical aid to prevent pills from stick- ing together, and as a body powder for the bedridden. ...this substance is highly flammable (one of its traditional uses was for bright lights for nighttime photographers and theatrical explosives)" ^[Schofield]

Medicinal Use

• "The club moss plant itself is highly recom- mended by European herbalist Maria Treben for leg cramps. In Health Through God's Pharmacy, she advocates pillows stuffed with the herb as an external application on aching areas. ...the club moss is placed in a cloth and tied around the calf." ^[Schofield]
• "Club moss (species L. clavatum and L. complanatum ONLY) is a traditional internal remedy for cirrhosis of the liver, urinary and reproductive disorders, and gout and rheu- matism. Author Maria Treben suggests club moss tea be sipped each day before breakfast: recommended dose is one teaspoon chopped club moss infused in one cup of boiling water. "For cirrhosis and malignant diseases of the liver, two cups are drunk daily." " ^[Schofield]
• "Montagnais Indians, according to Earth Medicine, Earth Foods, blended club moss with hemlock tree bark for a fever-reducing tea. Potawatomi and Blackfoot tribes dusted wounds with club moss powder and inhaled the golden dust for nosebleeds." ^[Schofield]
• "Seventeenth-century physicians administered club moss decoctions for nervous spasms and dropsy. From 1863 to 1947, L. clavatum was listed as one of the official drugs of the United States Pharmacopoeia. The tincture was prescribed for bladder irritability and the powder used to absorb fluids from injured tissue." ^[Schofield]
• Homeopathy: "Lycopodium is widely used as a homeopathic remedy for chronic disease. ... "for those suffering with great fears of inadequacy." " ^[Schofield]
• Reproductive capsules:
  • L. clatavtum & L. complanatum; "The reproductive capsules borne at the top of L. clavatum and L. complanatum yield a yellow powder called "vegetable sulfur" or "vegetable brimstone." This powder is sprinkled on skin sores, eczema, herpes, and supperating skin irritations. It is often used for diaper rash because the powder is soothing and healing." ^[Schofield]

Lycopodium alpinum - Alpine clubmoss

"General: Evergreen perennial from horizontal stems about 3 mm wide, on the soil (or rock) surface, or shallowly buried; upright shoots branched, 5-15 cm tall, bluish-green, with flattened branches." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Habitat / Range Open dry to mesic areas in heath and tundra communities in the subalpine and alpine zones; frequent throughout BC, except absent on the Queen Charlotte Islands; circumpolar, N to AK, YT, and NT, E to AB and S to MT, ID, and WA, disjunct to MI, PQ, NB, and NF; Eurasia." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

References

• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Diphasiastrum%20alpinum&redblue=Both&lifeform=5, Accessed October 3, 2021

Lycopodium annotinum - stiff club-moss

"General: Evergreen perennial; stems horizontal, long-creeping, branched; erect branches with numerous leaves, 5-25 cm tall." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Notes: A variable species. In this treatment it includes Lycopodium dubium Zoega, which is treated by some authors as a separate species." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Habitat / Range Dry to moist coniferous forests, heath, wet peat bogs and rock outcrops in the lowland to subalpine zones; common throughout BC; circumpolar, N to AK, YT, NT, E to NF and S to NC, WV, ID, and OR, disjunct in NM; Eurasia." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

Other Uses

• Insulation "The plant has been mixed with clay and used to fill the gaps between logs in log cabins[257]." ^[PFAF]

Phytochemicals

Chemical/Part/Lo ppm/Hi ppm

• ACRIFOLINE Plant JBH - Toxic
• ANNOFOLINE Plant JBH
• ANNOTINE Plant JBH
• ANNOTININE Plant JBH
• LYCODINE Plant JBH
• LYCONNOTINE Plant JBH ^[DukePhyt]

Synonyms

• Lycopodium dubium Zoega
  
• Lycopodium pungens ^[E-flora]

Reference

• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Lycopodium%20annotinum&redblue=Both&lifeform=5, Accessed September 30, 2021
• [DukePhyt] Lycopodium annotinum (Lycopodiaceae), https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/plants/show/2198?et=, Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
  • [JBH] Jeffery B. Harborne and H. Baxter, eds. 1983. Phytochemical Dictionary. A Handbook of Bioactive Compounds from Plants. Taylor & Frost, London. 791 pp.

Lycopodium clavatum - running club-moss

"General: Evergreen perennial; stems horizontal, long-creeping, branched; erect branches with numerous leaves, 10-25 cm tall." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Notes: Two varieties occur in BC:"

• "1. Tips of the leaves with a whitish hair................... var. clavatum"
• "1. Tips of the leaves lacking a whitish hair..................... var. integerrimum Goldie" ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Habitat / Range Dry to moist open places, forest clearings, roadcuts, forests, heath and bogs in the lowland and steppe to subalpine and rarely alpine zones; frequent throughout BC, infrequent in SC BC; cosmopolitan, N to AK, YT and NT, E to NF and S to WV, MI, WI, MT, ID and N CA; Europe, Asia, Africa, S America." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Ecological Indicator Information

"A shade-tolerant/intolerant, submontane to subalpine, circumpolar club-moss (trans­continental in North America). Occurs on moderately dry to fresh, nitrogen-poor soils. Widespread on water-shedding sites in boreal, cool temperate, and cool mesothermal climates; its occurrence increases with increasing latitude. Common in open-canopy coniferous forests; often inhabits decaying wood, persists on undisturbed cutover areas. Grows with Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista­castrensis, and Rhytidiadelphus loreus. An oxylophytic species characteristic of Mor humus forms." (Information applies to coastal locations only) ^{[IPBC-E-flora]}

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

Hazards

"The plant contains lycopodine, which is poisonous by paralysing the motor nerves[21, 218]. It also contains clavatine which is toxic to many mammals[218]. The spores, however, are not toxic[21]. may stimulate the central nervous system. Take under medical supervision [301]." ^[PFAF]

"The spores are water repellent and can be used as a dusting powder to stop things sticking together[106, 171]. They are also used as a talcum powder and for dressing moulds in iron foundries[74]. They can also be used as explosives in fireworks and for artificial lightning[7, 46, 57, 102, 171, 213]. The plant can be used as a mordant in dyeing[172]. The stems are made into matting[46]." ^[PFAF]

"A decoction of the plant is analgesic, antirheumatic, carminative, mildly diuretic, stomachic and tonic[4, 9, 13, 21, 46, 154, 172, 176, 218, 238]. It is used internally in the treatment of urinary and kidney disorders, rheumatic arthritis, catarrhal cystitis, gastritis etc[176, 238]. It is applied externally to skin diseases and irritations[238]. The plant can be harvested all year round and is used fresh or dried[238]. The spores of this plant are antipruritic, decongestant, diuretic and stomachic[4]. They are applied externally as a dusting powder to various skin diseases, to wounds or inhaled to stop bleeding noses[4, 7]. They can also be used to absorb fluids from injured tissues[213, 218]. The spores are harvested when ripe in late summer[9]. The spores can also be used as a dusting powder to prevent pills sticking together[4, 213]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the spores[232]. It has a wide range of applications including dry coughs, mumps and rheumatic pains[232, 238]." ^[PFAF]

References

• [DukePhyt] Lycopodium Clavatum, Dr. Duke's Phytochemical, https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/plants/show/1213?qlookup=Lycopodium+selago&offset=0&max=20&et=, Accessed October 12, 2021
  • Duke, James A. 1992. Handbook of phytochemical constituents of GRAS herbs and other economic plants. Boca Raton, FL. CRC Press.
  • [BIS] Bisset, N.G., ed. 1994. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL. 566 pp.
  • [CAL] Chen, H.C. and Lin, S.M. 1988. Determination of Mineral Elements in Certain Crude Drugs (Part 1), Kaohsiung J. Med. Sci., 4: 259-272.
  • [CCO] Chemical Constituents of Oriental Herbs (3 diff. books)
  • [HHB] Hutchings, A, Scott, AH, Lewis, G, and Cunningham, A. 1996. Zulu Medicinal Plants. An inventory. University of Natal Press, Pietermaritzburg. 450 pp.
  • [JBH] Jeffery B. Harborne and H. Baxter, eds. 1983. Phytochemical Dictionary. A Handbook of Bioactive Compounds from Plants. Taylor & Frost, London. 791 pp.
  • [JSG] J.S. Glasby Dict.Pls Containing 2ndary Metabolite. 1991.
  • [LIST] List, P.H. and Horhammer, L., Hager's Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen Praxis, Vols. 2-6, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1969-1979.
  • [WILL] Williamson, E. M. and Evans, F. J., Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations, Revised Ed., Saffron Walden, the C. W. Daniel Co., Ltd., Essex UK, 362 pp, 1988, reprint 1989.
  • [WOI] ANON. 1948-1976. The Wealth of India raw materials. Publications and Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi. 11 volumes.
• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Lycopodium%20clavatum&redblue=Both&lifeform=5, Accessed October 3, 2021
• [PFAF] https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Lycopodium+clavatum, Accessed October 10, 2021

Lycopodium complanatum - Ground-cedar

"General: Evergreen perennial from horizontal stems about 2 mm wide, shallowly buried; upright shoots branched several times more or less in one plane, 10-35 cm tall; branches flattened, sometimes darker green on the convex sides and lighter on the concave sides." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Habitat / Range Dry to mesic forests, rocky slopes, sandy openings and clearings, and margins of peat bogs in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; frequent throughout BC, rare on Vancouver Island and Queen Charlotte Islands; circumpolar, N to AK, YT and NT, E to NF and S to NY, MI, MT, and WA; Eurasia, S America." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

References

• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Diphasiastrum%20complanatum&redblue=Both&lifeform=5, Accessed October 3, 2021

Lycopodium dendroideum - ground-pine

"General: Evergreen perennial; stems horizontal, underground; upright branches branched again in tree-like fashion." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Habitat / Range Dry to moist forests, bog edges, rocky or sandy places in the lowland to montane zones; frequent on N coast and in C BC, infrequent elsewhere; amphiberingian, N to AK, YT and NT, E to NF and S to MA. NH, PA, NC, TN, MO, SD, WY, ID and WA; E Asia." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

References

• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Dendrolycopodium%20dendroideum&redblue=Both&lifeform=5, Accessed October 3, 2021

Lycopodium lagopus - ptarmigan club-moss

"General: Evergreen perennial; stems horizontal, long-creeping, branched; erect branches with numerous leaves, 10-25 cm tall." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Habitat / Range Dry to moist open places, forest clearings, roadcuts, forests, heath and bogs in the lowland and steppe to subalpine and rarely alpine zones; infrequent throughout BC; circumpolar, N to AK, YT and NT, E to NF and S to PA, OH, IN, MN, ND, WY and OR; Greenland, Europe, Asia." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

References

• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Lycopodium%20lagopus&redblue=Both&lifeform=5, Accessed October 3, 2021

Lycopodium selago - Fir Clubmoss

"Lycopodium selago is a FERN growing to 0.3 m (1ft). It is hardy to zone (UK) 2. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil." ^[PFAF]

Food Use

"The plant is edible[161, 177]. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity." ^[PFAF]

Other Use

• Mordant
  • "The plant can be used as a mordant in dyeing[172]." ^[PFAF]

Medicinal Use

"The plant is hypnotic[192]. Chewing three stems is said to induce mild intoxication whilst eight can cause unconsciousness[192, 213]. The plant has been used as a fast-acting emetic and purgative[257]. A poultice of the whole plant has been applied to the head in the treatment of headaches[257]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the whole plant, collected during the summer[9]. It is used as a laxative and to kill worms[9]." ^[PFAF]

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

Hazards

"L. selago (Alaska and the Yukon to Oregon) is a toxic species." ^[Schofield] Abortifacient ^[DukePhyt-1]

"Some Western Indian tribes are reported to have chewed L. selago stems for the intoxicating effects. Unconsciousness resulted from chewing as few as eight stems." ^[Schofield]

• "AKA: Lycopodium complanatum, Lycopodium selago, wolf's foot." ^[EncyHMED]
• "Effects: Lycopodium selago can induce a mild hypnotic narcosis or a comatose state, depending on the dosage taken, yet Lycopodium complanatum can have a stimulating effect. In Peru, another species of club moss is often added to San Pedro." ^[EncyHMED]
• "Precautions: James A. Duke, Ph.D., has found that Chinese club moss (Huperzia serrata) and Lycopodium club mosses both contain the beneficial compound huperzine; however, for psychoactive effects, it appears each species is distinctly different from the others, and different parts of each plant are used." ^[EncyHMED]
• "Dosage: According to William Emboden, three stems of Lycopodium selago will induce a hypnotic narcosis." ^[EncyHMED]

Phytochemistry

Culivation & Propagation

"Thrives in a rough spongy peat in a shady position[1]. Requires a humid atmosphere[200]. Terrestrial members of this genus are hard to establish. The roots are delicate and liable to rot, most water being absorbed through the foliage[200]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233]. Although looking more like a moss, this genus is closely related to the ferns[200]." ^[PFAF]

"Spores - best sown as soon as they are ripe on the surface of a humus-rich sterilized soil. Keep the compost moist, preferably by putting a plastic bag over the pot. Pot on small clumps of plantlets as soon as they are large enough to handle and keep humid until they are well established. Do not plant outside until the ferns are at least 2 years old and then only in a very well sheltered position. The spores are generally produced in abundance but are difficult to grow successfully[200]. The spores of this species are not functional, the plant reproduces only by gemmae[17]. Layering of growing tips[200]." ^[PFAF]

Synonyms

• Lycopodium selago L. ^[Wiki]
  • var. patens (Beauv.) Desv. ^[Wiki]
• Plananthus selago (L.) Beauv. ^[Wiki]
• Urostachys selago (L.) Herter ^[Wiki]

References

• [DukePhyt] Lycopodium Selago, https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/plants/show/2208?qlookup=Lycopodium+selago&offset=0&max=20&et=, Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. [Online Database] 16 Nov 2014, October 12, 2021
  • [1]Font Query, P. 1979. Plantas Medicinales el Dioscorides Renovado. Editorial Labor, S.A. Barcelona. 5th Ed.
  • [JBH] Jeffery B. Harborne and H. Baxter, eds. 1983. Phytochemical Dictionary. A Handbook of Bioactive Compounds from Plants. Taylor & Frost, London. 791 pp.
  • [3]Duke, James A. 1992. Handbook of phytochemical constituents of GRAS herbs and other economic plants. Boca Raton, FL. CRC Press.
• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Huperzia%20selago, Accessed October 3, 2021
• [PFAF] https://pfaf.org/User/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Lycopodium+selago, Accessed October 10, 2021
• [Wiki] Huperzia selago, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huperzia_selago, Accessed October 10, 2021
  • https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/huperzia/selago, 2021 Native Plant Trust, Accessed October 10, 2021

Lycopodium sitchense - Alaska clubmoss

"General: Evergreen perennial from horizontal stems about 3 mm wide, creeping on the surface or shallowly buried in the soil; upright shoots branched, 5-15 cm tall, bright green and shiny; branches 4-5 ranked, not flattened. " ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Habitat / Range Mesic to moist heath communities, open forests, and tundra in the subalpine and alpine zones; common in BC in and W of the Coast-Cascade Mountains S of 55degreeN, rare northward; amphiberingian, N to AK and YT, E to NF and S to ME, NH, MT, ID and OR; E Asia." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

References

• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Diphasiastrum%20sitchense&redblue=Both&lifeform=5, Accessed October 3, 2021

Huperzia continentalis - Alpine fir-moss

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

References

• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Huperzia%20continentalis&redblue=Both&lifeform=5, Accessed October 3, 2021

Huperzia miyoshiana - Pacific fir-moss

"General: Evergreen perennial from a short rhizome; stems dark olive green, 5 to 25 cm tall; shoots single or in loose clusters of 2 to 5, without noticeable annual constrictions, the young plants often arching with the tops pointing down." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Habitat / Range Mesic to wet rocky places, cliff shelves, forests, and coastal bogs in the lowland to alpine zones; frequent in coastal BC; amphiberingian, N to AK and S to WA; E Asia." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

Synonyms

• Huperzia chinensis (Christ) Czern. ^[E-flora]

References

• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Huperzia%20miyoshiana&redblue=Both&lifeform=5, Accessed October 3, 2021

Huperzia occidentalis - Western fir clubmoss

"General: Evergreen perennial plant from a short rhizome; stems yellow-green or dark-green, single or in clusters of 2 to 7, 10-30 cm tall, with distinct annual constrictions." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

"Habitat / Range Mesic to moist open coniferous forests, rocky places, bogs from the lowland to subalpine zones; infre quent in BC south of 56degreeN; N to AK, E to W AB and S to ID and OR." ^{[IFBC-E-flora]}

Status: Native ^[E-flora]

Synonyms

• Lycopodium lucidulum var. occidentale (Clute) L.R. Wilson ^[E-flora]

References

• [E-flora] https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Huperzia%20occidentalis&redblue=Both&lifeform=5, Accessed October 3, 2021