This is a very pretty little plant, which, on account of its upright
habit of growth, attracts a good deal of attention. The stems vary from
about three to six inches in height, and these rise upwards from a main
stem which sometimes, but not always, trails along the ground for a short
distance. The branches are very thickly covered with leaves which overlap
one another, and are very stiff. Indeed, the whole plant is covered with
the foliage, which, being narrow and pointed, is almost bristle-like in
appearance. The colour of the foliage is bright green. The spore capsules
are present in the axils of the uppermost leaves of the branches, and
these are kidney-shaped. The Fir Club Moss is also very commonly
propagated by means of special little buds which appear at the tops of
the branches. When these are developed they fall to the ground, and give
rise to fresh plants.
The Fir Club Moss is probably almost as common as the Common Club Moss.
It should, however, be looked for on elevated moors and the slopes of
mountains.
[Illustration: Lycopodium selago. The Fir Club Moss.]
_Lycopodium inundatum._ Here the specific name has reference to the fact
that this Club Moss grows in situations which are often under water. The
Marsh Club Moss.
This is a peculiarly interesting species, in that it is the only British
Club Moss to be found in lowland districts. The stems of the plants are
prostrate, and these are so closely fixed to the soil with strong roots
that it is almost impossible to remove a specimen without taking away the
soil as well. The fertile branches rise in a very direct manner to the
height of two or three inches, and these, like the main stems, are
thickly covered with narrow leaves, which have sharp points. The
fructification is produced in the autumn, the capsules being borne
between leaf-like scales at the upper part of the shoot. A singular thing
about the Marsh Club Moss is that one end of the creeping stem is always
decaying, and an individual plant is rarely more than a few inches in
length. In the winter only the growing tip of the plant remains, and from
this the whole of the new development arises.
The Marsh Club Moss is comparatively rare in the North of England, though
in the South and West it is often to be found. As a rule it occurs in
large isolated patches, and one may hunt for some distance around before
finding any more specimens. It likes a thoroughly wet situation, and on
this account is soon stamped out when any schemes of land drainage are
undertaken.
_Lycopodium alpinum._ In this case the specific name is simply a
reference to the fact that this Club Moss grows in mountainous districts.
The Alpine Club Moss.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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