Dendrolycopodium dendroideum

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Dendrolycopodium dendroideum, commonly known as tree groundpine, is a North American clubmoss. It is part of a group of plants called groundpine, which many plants in this group were once classified as Lycopodium obscurum.

Conservation status: Secure (NatureServe).

Classification: Kingdom Plantae; Clade Tracheophytes; Clade Lycophytes; Class Lycopodiopsida; Order Lycopodiales; Family Lycopodiaceae; Genus Dendrolycopodium; Species D. dendroideum. Binomial name: Dendrolycopodium dendroideum (Michx.) A. Haines. Synonyms include Lepidotis dendroidea and Lycopodium dendroideum, among others.

Distribution: Native to Russia and the colder parts of North America, including all Canadian provinces except Nunavut, and the northern and east-central United States including Alaska.

Habitat: Prefers humus-rich, sandy soils that are moist but not fully saturated.

Identification: Very similar to D. obscurum, but has round side shoots (not flat) and leaves all the same size.

Notes: Historically collected for decorative Christmas greenery, and overharvesting can threaten this slow-growing plant. Spores were used to make lycopodium powder in early photography, though this species was not the preferred source.