toothed club-moss

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• toothed club-moss

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Urostachys serratus
• Huperzia selago var. serrata
• Lycopodium serratum var. minor
• Lycopodium khasianum
• Lycopodium sargassifolium
• Lycopodium serratum
• Huperzia serrata f. intermedia
• Lycopodium serratum f. intermedium
• Urostachys serratus var. japoniconeotropicus
• Urostachys serratus var. sachalinensis
• Lycopodium serratum f. paucidentatum
• Huperzia serrata var. intermedia
• Huperzia serrata var. paucidentata

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, specifically falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Lycopodiidae. Within the order Lycopodiales and the family Lycopodiaceae, it is classified under the genus Huperzia. This taxonomic lineage identifies Huperzia serrata as a distinct member of the clubmoss group.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical range spread across several key regions of East Asia. Within the Russian Far East, its distribution includes the areas of Khabarovsk and Primorye. It can also be found inhabiting the islands of the Kuril chain and the territory of Sakhalin. Moving into mainland Asia, the species is documented within the Manchuria region. Collectively, these locations define the natural habitat where this medicinal plant thrives.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Huperzia serrata is defined by its preference for stable, high-moisture environments, specifically thriving within the shaded understory of tropical and subtropical forest ecosystems. As a lycophyte, it occupies niche microhabitats characterized by high humidity and consistent soil moisture, often found on the forest floor or nestled among damp leaf litter and decaying organic matter. The forest canopy plays a critical role in its survival by moderating temperature fluctuations and shielding the plant from direct, intense solar radiation, which helps maintain the moist microclimate necessary for its physiological processes. Its distribution is closely tied to these shaded, humid forest landscapes, where the availability of moisture and the presence of organic substrates support its specialized growth patterns and long-term persistence within the woodland strata.

Habitat :

forest

Life history

The life history of Huperzia serrata is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist in its natural habitat over multiple growing seasons. In terms of its ecological architecture and growth strategy, it is classified as a chamaephyte, a life form where the buds are located near or just above the soil surface, providing a level of resilience to environmental fluctuations. This specific life form classification, appearing as both a chamaephyte and a perennial entity, dictates its ability to maintain a stable presence within its specialized ecological niches through long-term survival and consistent vegetative presence.

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Huperzia serrata is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, typically presenting as a self-supporting plant. It is a terrestrial species, lacking aquatic or epiphytic tendencies, and maintains a relatively low stature with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 0.25 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Plant height max:

0.25 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Huperzia serrata is characterized by a specific seasonal cycle involving the production of reproductive structures. The flowering period for this species typically commences in June and continues through the warmer months, reaching its conclusion in September. This reproductive window is subject to some variability depending on environmental conditions, but follows this general seasonal pattern.

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Sep

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Huperzia serrata has 3 reported plant parts identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, stem, root.

Leaf

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
2. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology
3. Physiologia plantarum
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Stem

1. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology
2. Phytochemistry
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Root

1. World journal of microbiology & biotechnology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Huperzia serrata has 61 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Huperzine A, HupA, Hup A, huperzine b, (-)-huperzine A.

Huperzine A

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC plant biology
3. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
4. Frontiers in plant science
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

HupA

1. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Biotechnology letters
5. BMC genomics

Hup A

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. BMC microbiology

huperzine b

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

(-)-huperzine A

1. Applied microbiology and biotechnology

11,12-dihydroxy-1-tremulen-5-one

1. Phytochemistry

21-Episerratenediol

1. Dr. Duke

21-Episerratriol

1. Dr. Duke

21alpha-Hydroxyserrat-14-en-3beta-yl p-dihydrocoumarate

1. Journal of natural products

21alpha-Hydroxyserrat-14-en-3beta-yl propanedioic acid monoester

1. Journal of natural products

Activities

Huperzia serrata has 17 reported activities identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Analgesic, Antiacetylcholinesterase, Antialzheimeran, Antiamnesic.

Antioxidant

1. Fitoterapia
2. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology

Analgesic

1. Fitoterapia

Antiacetylcholinesterase

1. Dr. Duke

Antialzheimeran

1. Dr. Duke

Antiamnesic

1. Dr. Duke

Antibutylcholinesterase

1. Dr. Duke

Anticancer

1. Fitoterapia

Anticholinesterase

1. Dr. Duke

Antiglaucomic

1. Dr. Duke

Antimyasthenic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Huperzia serrata has 22 reported investigations on conditions identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Alzheimer's disease, contusions, strains, schizophrenia, myasthenia gravis.

Alzheimer's disease

1. Fitoterapia
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
3. Applied microbiology and biotechnology
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics

Contusions

1. BMC plant biology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Strains

1. BMC plant biology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Schizophrenia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Myasthenia gravis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Organophosphate poisoning

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Ache

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Alzheimer disease

1. Molecular biology reports

Hiv-1

1. The Journal of organic chemistry

Cancer

1. Fitoterapia

Preparations

Huperzia serrata has 8 reported preparations identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Huperzine A, CHCl3 fraction of basic materials of whole plant, CHCl3 fraction of total alkaloids of whole plant, Qiancengta, cuttings.

Huperzine a

1. AAPS PharmSciTech
2. Neurochemical research

Chcl3 fraction of basic materials of whole plant

1. Natural product letters

Chcl3 fraction of total alkaloids of whole plant

1. Journal of Asian natural products research

Qiancengta

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Cuttings

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Methanol extract

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Whole plant

1. Journal of natural products

Whole plants

1. Journal of Asian natural products research