April 30, 2011
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Southeastern, New Hampshire
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This is my third clubmoss! Previously, I have identified Southern Ground Cedar
(Diphasiastrum digitatum) and Flat-Branched Ground Pine
(Lycopodium obscurum). Pennsylvania Clubmoss is very similar to Flat-Branched
Ground Pine in that the strobili (cone-like structures) have no stalk (sessile), but
grow right from the leaved branches and the main stem is not prickly (the tiny leaves do not
stick straight out). It grows upright like Flat-Branched Ground Pine -- looks like a
little tree.
But the main difference is that the Pennsylvania Clubmoss branches with
leaves feel round when held, but the Flat-Branched Ground Pine branches feel flat.
This is due to the fact that the Pennsylvania Clubmoss leaves are all the same size
and spread the same amount while the Flat-Branched Ground Pine has leaves on the bottom
that are much smaller and not spreading (which gives it a flat feel). Compare the second
picture on the right of a Pennsylvania Clubmoss branch with the very last picture on the
bottom left which is a labeled picture of a Flat-Branched Ground Pine branch.
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