Lycopodiaceae
Read about Lycopodiaceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
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Lycopodiaceae (from the genus Lycopodium, wolf-foot, from a fancied resemblance). Club-moss Family. Fig. 1. Branched plants of moderate size, stems often erect when short, usually prostrate, pendent, or creeping: leaves very numerous, small, subulate or oblong, moss-like, often imbricated; rarely the leaves all basal (Phylloglossum): sporophylls either similar to the leaves, or much modified and forming terminal “cones:" sporangia and spores of one sort (not macrospores and microspores), the former reniform, borne at the base of a leaf on the upper side; dehiscence longitudinal: prothallia more or less cylindrical or amorphous, in some species green, in others colorless, saprophytic, subterranean or subcortical. The club-moss family contains 2 genera and about 100 species, all but one of which belong to Lycopodium, distributed in all parts of the world except the very dry regions. The majority of the epiphytic species are tropical, but several terrestrial species extend to the arctic circle. Twelve of the species are native in the eastern United States. The family is not closely related to any other. The habit, the undifferentiated spores, and the prothallium are distinctive. The branching of Lycopodium is of two types, the dichotomous, and the monopodial (a central axis from which lateral branches arise). On these types sub-genera are based. The spores of Lycopodium (principally of L. clavatum), which are produced in great quantities, are used by apothecaries for coating pills, and by metal-workers. These spores are highly inflammable and were formerly used in theaters to produce flashlights. L. Selago is emetic, drastic, vermifugal, and emmenagogue. L. myrsinitis and L. catharticum are purgative. Several other species have been used locally for various complaints. The creeping stems of L. clavatum and L. complanatum are often used for Christmas and church decorations. Several species of Lycopodium (Club-moss, Ground Pine, Creeping Pine) are gathered or protected in America for decorative purposes or for the spores.CH
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References
- Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
External links
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