Dendrolycopodium dendroideum
Dendrolycopodium dendroideum, synonym Lycopodium dendroideum, known as tree groundpine,[1] is a North American species of clubmoss. It is part of a complex of species colloquially known as groundpine, which taxa were formerly lumped into the species Lycopodium obscurum.[2][3] The species is native to Russia and also to the colder parts of North America (all states and provinces in Canada except Nunavut; northern and east-central United States including Alaska).[4] The genus Dendrolycopodium is accepted in the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I),[5] but not in other classifications, which submerge the genus in Lycopodium.[6] Dendrolycopodium dendroideum prefers humus-rich, sandy, moist but not completely saturated soils. It is very similar to D. obscurum except for side shoots that are round in cross-section rather than flat, and having leaves all the same size.[7] UsesHistorically, this and other related clubmosses had been collected for decorative Christmas greenery. Overharvesting clubmosses destroys the slow growing, increasingly rare plant.[citation needed] The spore of this species was also collected as Lycopodium powder for use in early photography, although this was not the preferred species for the purpose.[citation needed] References
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