interrupted clubmoss

Spinulum annotinum, synonym Lycopodium annotinum, known as interrupted club-moss, or stiff clubmoss, is a species of clubmoss native to forests of the colder parts of North America (Greenland, St. Pierre & Miquelon, all 10 provinces and all 3 territories of Canada, Alaska, and mountains of the contiguous United States), as well as Asia (China, Russia, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Assam), and most of Europe. It is an evergreen perennial pteridophyte. The genus Spinulum is accepted in the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), but not in other classifications, which submerge the genus in Lycopodium.

Description

Spinulum annotinum is a common and widespread club-moss spreading by means of horizontal stems running along the surface of the ground. It is usually unbranched or sparingly branched, each branch containing a cone at the top. Leaves have minute teeth on their edges. The branches are 5–25 cm (2–10 in) long, upright and somewhat branchless themselves. The sporangium are located at the top of the branches in individually located spore cones.

Uses

In Finnish traditional medicine Spinulum annotinum has been used as a remedy for rickets. The plant's spore dust has also been used as medicine for rashes and inflammation. The spore dust or lycopodium powder has also been used as 'fly gunpowder' (kärpäsruuti in Finnish) due to the oily and easily flammable nature of the spores. The plant has been used as decoration in binding crafts in Finland.

Alkaloids

Four alkaloids were found to be present in Lycopodium annotinum. These include: Annofoline, Lycofoline, α-Lofoline & β-Lofoline (fawcettiine). Lycodine is another example of such an alkaloid.

References

External links

Photo of herbarium specimen at Missouri Botanical Garden, collected on Mt. Adams in New Hampshire in 1889, neotype of Lycopodium annotinum Go Botany, New England Wildflower Society, Spinulum annotinum (L.) A. Haines bristly clubmoss, common interrupted-clubmoss] photos plus New England distribution map Michigan Flora, Spinulum annotinum (L.) A. Haines photos plus Michigan distribution map Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora, Spinulum annotinum (L.) A. Haines photos plus Virginia distribution map Boreal Forest, Lycopodium annotinum Stiff Clubmoss description, photos, ecological information West Highland (Scotland) Flora, Interrupted Clubmoss, Lycopodium annotinum photos from near Skye in Scotland