marsh clubmoss

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• marsh clubmoss
• northern bog-clubmoss
• marsh club-moss
• inundated bog clubmoss
• northern bog clubmoss

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lycopodium inundatum
• Lycopodium inundatum f. furcatum
• Plananthus inundatus
• Lepidotis inundata
• Lycopodium inundatum f. funiforme
• Lycopodium inundatum var. rigidium
• Lycopodium inundatum var. diversifolium

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Lycopodiidae. Within the order Lycopodiales, it is classified under the family Lycopodiaceae. Finally, it is identified by its specific genus, Lycopodiella.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Lycopodiella inundata, is distributed across several specific regions in Northern Europe. Its presence can be documented within the territories of Denmark and Finland. Furthermore, the species is found throughout the landscapes of Great Britain and Ireland. It also maintains a notable distribution within the borders of Norway. Together, these locations define the northern reach of its geographical habitat.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Lycopodiella inundata is characterized by its preference for specific moisture-rich environments, primarily flourishing within forest settings and open meadows. It occupies niches where the soil remains consistently damp or saturated, often colonizing transitional zones between terrestrial and aquatic landscapes. Within these forest and meadow ecosystems, the plant relies on the availability of light and soil moisture levels that support its unique growth patterns, contributing to the biodiversity of these damp, shaded, or semi-open habitats.

Habitat :

forest, meadows

Life history

The life history of Lycopodiella inundata is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. It is classified as a chamaephyte, a life form where the majority of the plant's biomass and reproductive buds are located close to or just above the soil surface. Additionally, the plant exhibits evergreen deciduousness, maintaining its foliage and structural integrity throughout various seasonal changes.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

chamaephyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lycopodiella inundata is characterized by its stature as a small, non-woody plant, typically presenting a growth form categorized as both a shrub and a forb. It is a self-supporting species that does not function as a climber or a parasite, maintaining an independent existence within its habitat. The plant exhibits a semiaquatic nature, adapted to moist environments. In terms of dimensions, it is a diminutive species with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.02 m to a maximum of 0.1 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 0.04 m.

Aquatic :

semiaquatic

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

shrub

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.1 m

Plant height mean:

0.04 m

Plant height min:

0.02 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Lycopodiella inundata is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying entirely on autotrophic methods rather than the capture of prey for nutrients. Morphologically, it possesses very small leaves with a mean leaf size of approximately 0.0296 cm², a trait that contributes to its specific leaf area (SLA) mean of 592 cm²/g, indicating a high degree of leaf thinness or lightness relative to its dry mass.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf size mean:

0.0296 cm²

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

592 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Lycopodiella inundata is characterized by a reliance on sexual processes, as asexual reproduction is noted to be absent. The flowering period for this species typically begins in June and extends through October. The pollination mechanism is categorized as an abiotic process, specifically utilizing wind as the primary pollination syndrome. Following fertilization, the plant produces a fruit type classified under the "other" category. For the subsequent stage of the life cycle, the plant employs an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, utilizing wind to spread its seeds or reproductive units.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit type :

other

Pollination syndrome :

wind

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Lycopodiella inundata has 4 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Inundatine, Lycoflexine, lycopodatines A, lycopodatines C.

Inundatine

1. Dr. Duke

Lycoflexine

1. Dr. Duke

lycopodatines A

1. Journal of natural products

lycopodatines C

1. Journal of natural products