Diphasiastrum complanatum
Species of clubmoss plant from coniferous forests
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Diphasiastrum complanatum,[4] common names groundcedar,[5] creeping jenny, or northern running-pine, is a species of clubmoss native to dry coniferous forests in colder northerly parts of the world. Under the original name Lycopodium complanatum, this was an inclusive superspecies that included a number of other species now known to be biologically separate. This plant is an evergreen, perennial pteridophyte. The spores are produced June to September.[6]
| Diphasiastrum complanatum | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Lycophytes |
| Class: | Lycopodiopsida |
| Order: | Lycopodiales |
| Family: | Lycopodiaceae |
| Genus: | Diphasiastrum |
| Species: | D. complanatum |
| Binomial name | |
| Diphasiastrum complanatum | |
| Synonyms[1][2][3] | |
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Description
Diphasiastrum complanatum is a perennial herb spreading by means of stolons that run along the surface of the ground. Above-ground stems tend to branch within the same geometric plane (hence the specific epithet "complanatum", meaning "same plane"). Strobili are vertical borne in groups of up to 4 at the ends of some of the branches.[7] The stem can reach even over 100 cm in length with offshoots of 5-30 cm long which are upright that are flat at the top. The leaves are scale-like small and parallel to the stem. The sporangium are in long-stalked densely cylindrical spore cones.[6] The shoots on the horizontal plane can take root and eventually form large colonies. Eino Oinonen studied a clonal colony in Finland which measured 250 m (820 ft) in diameter.[8]
Distribution
Uses
In Finland Diphasiastrum complanatum has been used to dye wool in the past.[6]
