Lycopodium cernuum L.

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Beitel, Joseph M. 1988. Pteridophyte Flora of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 46: 1-580.

  • Family

    Lycopodiaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Lycopodium cernuum L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Plants to nearly 1 m tall; main stems usually erect (sometimes with horizontal arching stolonlike branches from the base, 2-3(-5) mm diam., stramineous, with leaves indistinctly spirally arranged, spreading to ascending, linear, 3-5 mm long, 0.25 mm wide; lateral branches spreading, frequently forking, pinnately to dichotomously, with leaves abundant, spreading-falcate, linear, 2-4 mm long, 0.2 mm wide, indistinctly spirally arranged, with hairs (0.2-0.5 mm) infrequent along decurrent leaf bases; strobili at the ends of branchlets, 0.5-1 cm long, 2-3 mm wide; sporophylls appressed, tightly overlapping, deltate, acuminate, margin erose-fimbriate; sporangia globose, valves unequal.

  • Discussion

    Lepidotis cernua (Linnaeus) Palisot-Beauvois, Prodr. aethéogam. 108. 1805. Type. Not clear, “habitat in Indis.” LINN 1257.13-1257.17 (frag. NY!) plus several cited illustrations. The Oaxaca material of L. cernuum appears quite uniform. It is abundant along roadsides and distinct by its upright stems with spreading branches and pendent strobili.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial, on roadbanks, cultivated areas, other disturbed places; common in lower to middle elevation wet forests; Choapan, Ixtlán, Juchitán, Mixe, Pochutla, Putla, Tuxtepec, Villa Alta; 100-2000 m. Mexico (Mex, Hgo, Ver, Pue, Oax, Chis, Tab); se US; Guat to Pan; WI, Trin; Col to Fr Gui, to Bol, Braz & Parag; Old World tropics and subtropics.

    Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Paraguay South America| Brazil South America| French Guiana South America| Bolivia South America| Colombia South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| West Indies| Panama Central America| Guatemala Central America| United States of America North America|