''Lycopodiella alopecuroides'', the foxtail clubmoss, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

vascular The blood vessels are the components of the circulatory system that transport blood throughout the human body. These vessels transport blood cells, nutrients, and oxygen to the tissues of the body. They also take waste and carbon dioxide away f ...

plant in the club-moss family,

Lycopodiaceae The Lycopodiaceae (class Lycopodiopsida, order Lycopodiales) are an old family of vascular plants, including all of the core clubmosses and firmosses, comprising 16 accepted genera and about 400 known species. This family originated about 380 mil ...

. It is commonly found along the Atlantic seaboard and has been recently been discovered in the state of Maine. The family,

contains nearly 15 genera and about 375 species Originally named by

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

, this species has since been reviewed by Raimond Cranfill. Foxtail clubmoss is the common name for ''Lycopodiella alopecuroides'' (L.) Cranfill. This species has horizontal stems growing 100 to 450 mm in length and 1 to 1.5 mm in diameter. Its leaves have marginal teeth near the base, and the plant itself seems to have a high tendency to arch. The plant itself typically inhabits wet, sandy soils and peat swamps. It has

spores In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...

containing a flammable powder which was historically used in flash photography. This spore powder was also used by ‘ fire-breathers’ in the circus.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15321697 Lycopodiaceae Flora of North America