Family: Lycopodiaceae
Author: (L.) Pic.Serm.
Bibliography: Webbia 23: 166 (1968)
Year: 1968
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Lycopodiella
Vegetable: Unknown
Observations: Tropics & Subtropics
Description
Staghorn clubmoss, scientifically known as Lycopodiella cernua, is an intriguing member of the Lycopodiaceae family. This plant is celebrated for its unique structure and adaptability to various environments, prominently thriving in the tropics and subtropics.
Characterized by its feathery, branching stems that resemble a stag’s antlers, the staghorn clubmoss has an aesthetic appeal that draws the interest of botanists and plant enthusiasts alike. Its light-green hue and the intricate arrangement of its microphylls (small leaves) contribute to its distinctive appearance, making it both an interesting subject for research and a delightful addition to natural landscapes.
This species is a lycophyte, a group of plants that, despite their ancient lineage, continue to play a vital role in modern ecosystems. Lycopodiella cernua has adapted well to a variety of humid environments, often carpeting the ground in moist forests, marshlands, and even along the edges of streams. This extensive adaptability underscores its evolutionary success and ecological importance.
Historically, the use of staghorn clubmoss in traditional medicine and as decorative elements underscores its significance beyond just the ecological sphere. Various cultures have recognized and utilized its properties, further embedding it into the human experience of the natural world.
The classification and nomenclature of this plant have been well documented, with notable contributions found in scientific literature, such as in Webbia since 1968, where detailed descriptions and assessments highlight its botanical characteristics. Authored by Pic. Serm., the formal description and naming conventions of Lycopodiella cernua stand as a testament to the rigorous scientific study that supports our understanding of this species.
In summary, the staghorn clubmoss (Lycopodiella cernua) exemplifies the remarkable diversity and resilience of the plant kingdom. Its presence in tropical and subtropical regions, coupled with its unique appearance and historical uses, makes it a plant of significant interest in both botanical and ecological studies.
Common Names
En: Staghorn clubmoss
Synonyms
- Palhinhaea capillacea ((Spring) Holub)
- Palhinhaea polycephala ((Colenso) Holub)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. watsonianum (Herter ex Nessel)
- Palhinhaea cernua f. laxa ((Blume) Satou)
- Lycopodiella cernua var. sikkimensis ((Müll.Hal.) Panigrahi & Sarn.Singh)
- Palhinhaea cernua f. sikkimensis ((Müll.Hal.) H.S.Kung)
- Lycopodium cernuum f. macrostachyum (Christ)
- Palhinhaea mariana ((Willd.) Holub)
- Palhinhaea cernua ((L.) Franco & Vasc.)
- Lepidotis cernua ((L.) P.Beauv.)
- Lycopodium cernuum (L.)
- Lycopodiella cernua var. caboverdeana ((Gilli) O.Eriksson, A.Hansen & Sunding)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. caboverdeanum (Gilli)
- Palhinhaea cernua var. sikkimensis ((Müll.Hal.) Ching)
- Lycopodium hupeanum (Müll.Hal.)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. majus (C.Presl)
- Palhinhaea cernua var. pendula ((Hook.) N.C.Nair & S.R.Ghosh)
- Lycopodium secundum (Müll.Hal.)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. dussii (Christ)
- Lycopodium cernuum f. durissimum (Herter ex Nessel)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. panamense (Wercklé ex Nessel)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. minus (C.Presl)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. medium (C.Presl)
- Lycopodium capillaceum ((Willd. ex Spring) Willd. ex Spring)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. chaminadeanum (Stehlé)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. brevifolium (Christ)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. crassifolium (Spring)
- Palhinhaea cernua f. ciliatomarginata (W.M.Chu)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. capillaceum (Willd. ex Spring)
- Lycopodium cernuum f. sikkimense ((Müll.Hal.) H.S.Kung)
- Lycopodium marianum (Willd.)
- Lycopodium heeschii (Müll.Hal.)
- Lycopodium cernuum f. ingens (B.C.Tan & Tolentino)
- Palhinhaea cernua var. lanceolata (Gias & Pasha)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. sikkimense ((Müll.Hal.) C.B.Clarke)
- Palhinhaea lufengensis (C.Y.Yang)
- Palhinhaea brevibracteata ((Alderw.) Holub)
- Palhinhaea crassifolia ((Spring) Fraser-Jenk. & Kholia)
- Lycopodiella cernua var. capillacea ((Willd. ex Spring) D.Heller)
- Lycopodium cernuum var. blancheanum (Stehlé)
Distribution
- Alabama (native)
- Andaman Is. (native)
- Angola (native)
- Argentina Northeast (native)
- Arkansas (native)
- Ascension (native)
- Assam (native)
- Azores (native)
- Bangladesh (native)
- Belize (native)
- Benin (native)
- Bismarck Archipelago (native)
- Bolivia (native)
- Borneo (native)
- Brazil North (native)
- Brazil Northeast (native)
- Brazil South (native)
- Brazil Southeast (native)
- Brazil West-Central (native)
- Burundi (native)
- Cameroon (native)
- Cape Provinces (native)
- Cape Verde (native)
- Caroline Is. (native)
- Central African Repu (native)
- China South-Central (native)
- China Southeast (native)
- Colombia (native)
- Comoros (native)
- Cook Is. (native)
- Costa Rica (native)
- Cuba (native)
- Dominican Republic (native)
- East Himalaya (native)
- Ecuador (native)
- El Salvador (native)
- Equatorial Guinea (native)
- Ethiopia (native)
- Fiji (native)
- Florida (native)
- French Guiana (native)
- Gabon (native)
- Galápagos (native)
- Gambia (native)
- Georgia (native)
- Ghana (native)
- Guatemala (native)
- Guinea-Bissau (native)
- Gulf of Guinea Is. (native)
- Guyana (native)
- Hainan (native)
- Haiti (native)
- Hawaii (native)
- Honduras (native)
- India (native)
- Ivory Coast (native)
- Jamaica (native)
- Japan (native)
- Jawa (native)
- Kazan-retto (native)
- Kenya (native)
- Kermadec Is. (native)
- Korea (native)
- KwaZulu-Natal (native)
- Laos (native)
- Leeward Is. (native)
- Lesser Sunda Is. (native)
- Liberia (native)
- Louisiana (native)
- Madagascar (native)
- Madeira (native)
- Malawi (native)
- Malaya (native)
- Mali (native)
- Maluku (native)
- Marianas (native)
- Marquesas (native)
- Mauritius (native)
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Gulf (native)
- Mexico Northeast (native)
- Mexico Southeast (native)
- Mexico Southwest (native)
- Mississippi (native)
- Mozambique (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Nansei-shoto (native)
- Nepal (native)
- New Caledonia (native)
- New Guinea (native)
- New South Wales (native)
- New Zealand North (native)
- New Zealand South (native)
- Nicaragua (native)
- Nicobar Is. (native)
- Nigeria (native)
- Norfolk Is. (native)
- Northern Provinces (native)
- Northern Territory (native)
- Ogasawara-shoto (native)
- Panamá (native)
- Paraguay (native)
- Peru (native)
- Philippines (native)
- Puerto Rico (native)
- Queensland (native)
- Rodrigues (native)
- Rwanda (native)
- Réunion (native)
- Samoa (native)
- Senegal (native)
- Seychelles (native)
- Sierra Leone (native)
- Society Is. (native)
- Solomon Is. (native)
- South Carolina (native)
- Sri Lanka (native)
- St.Helena (native)
- Sudan (native)
- Sulawesi (native)
- Sumatera (native)
- Suriname (native)
- Swaziland (native)
- Taiwan (native)
- Tanzania (native)
- Texas (native)
- Thailand (native)
- Tibet (native)
- Togo (native)
- Tonga (native)
- Trinidad-Tobago (native)
- Tuamotu (native)
- Tubuai Is. (native)
- Uganda (native)
- Uruguay (native)
- Venezuela (native)
- Venezuelan Antilles (native)
- Vietnam (native)
- Wallis-Futuna Is. (native)
- West Himalaya (native)
- Western Australia (native)
- Windward Is. (native)
- Zambia (native)
- Zaïre (native)
- Zimbabwe (native)
- Lebanon-Syria (introduced)
- Portugal (introduced)
- Sicilia (introduced)
Additional Images
Bark
Taken Aug 1, 1995 by Daniel Barthelemy (cc-by-nc)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Leaf
Taken Nov 23, 2020 by Elisa Perales (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 10, 2021 by Shata Juangsar (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 5, 2020 by Doney Mathew (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 30, 2021 by Krystal Wade (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 3, 2021 by Shelagh A (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken May 6, 2010 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Nov 28, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 28, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 28, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 10, 2021 by Shata Juangsar (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Oct 27, 2020 by Ramesh Ghildiyal (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 28, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 28, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 28, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Sylvain Piry (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken May 6, 2010 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken May 6, 2010 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken May 6, 2010 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)
Taken Apr 17, 2019 by OTS – O.Vargas (cc-by-nc-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1054587-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Lycopodiella cernua (L.) Pic. Serm.)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2688348)
Specifications
Growth
