The group of ancient plants commonly referred to as clubmosses, are common denizens of southern Maine’s acidic woodlands. According to the Flora of Maine (Vining and Haines, 1998) we have four genera; Diphasiastrum, Lycopodium, Huperzia and Lycopodiella , all belonging to a single family, Lycopodiaceae. Diphasiastrum and Lycopodium (formerly all in the genus Lycopodium)are probably the most commonly encountered, found in upland woods, fields, and clearings. Huperzia is confined largely to alpine areas and two of the three species are rare, designated S1 and S2 by the Maine Natural Areas Program (five or fewer occurrences, and 6-20 occurrences respectively). The Bog clubmosses, Lycopodiella, are represented by two species in Maine, and as can be inferred, are found in wet, boggy areas.
The conservation status of this unique group of plants has been the focus of more attention as of late. The higher plants usually take the spotlight when it comes to preservation priorities (trees, shrubs, perennials including ferns), but as increasingly more land is pulled out from under all plants roots (and rhizomes), concerned folks are realizing that these plants are at a disproportionate risk because of their extremely slow growth and sensitivity to habitat disturbance. It has been reported that gametophytes of Lycopodiella can take at least 8 years to develop to perceptible size (Cobb, Farnsworth, Low, 2005) I have personally observed the effect of soil compaction on the growth habits of Ground pine; the rambling vines growing parallel to an ATV trail like an invisible fence is keeping it at bay.
Propagation of these plants is challenging due to their slow growth, and lack of detailed study. Cuttings are the most commonly cited method for making more of these plants. In the early twentieth century hundreds of thousands of these plants were thoughtlessly harvested for use in Christmas wreaths and other holiday décor. A call to arms to conserve these plants was the impetus behind the formation of the New England Wildflower Society, the oldest plant conservation group in the United States, and a leader in cutting edge conservation methods today. I think that these plants are worth spending time on for their responsible propagation. I believe there is a market for these plants for use in creative, nouveau landscape designs, terrarium use, and if propagation is efficient enough, in holiday décor.
There are several excellent guides available for the further study and identification of these plants in the field. The Petersons Field Guide
series has recently released an extensively updated version Boughton Cobb's classic Ferns Northeastern and Central North America. It contains
color photos for most of the entries, the newest taxonomical revisions and name changes, and wonderfully retouched drawings by the late Laura Loiuse
Foster. The New England Wildflower Society purchased the rights to this guide, and their staff is largely responsible for the masterpiece it has become.
Another more technical guide is The Families Huperziaceae and Lycopodiaceae of New England by Arthur Haines. It includes one hundred pages of
detailed descriptions and discussions of New England's lycopods, including hybrids. Important nomenclatural innovations for hybrids, species, and
genera are also included.(ISBN 0-9664874-6-X, 2003. $30.00)
References Cited
Haines,A.,and Vining,T. 1998. Flora of Maine-A Manual for Identification of Native and Naturalized Vascular Plants of Maine. V.F. Thomas Co., Bar Harbor, Maine. ISBN 0-9664874-0-0
Cobb, B., Farnsworth, E., Lowe, C. 2005. Ferns of Northeastern and Central North America, Second Ed. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. ISBN 0-618-39406-0
