View source for Clubmoss

{{Taxobox
| name = Clubmosses
| image = Lycopodium annotinum1.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = ''[[Lycopodiella cernua]]'' with close-up of branch
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Lycopodiophyta]]
| classis = '''Lycopodiopsida'''
| subdivision_ranks = Orders}}
[[File:Huperzia lucidula.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The shining firmoss, ''Huperzia lucidula'']]

'''Clubmosses''' are a group of plants in the [[Lycopodiophyta]], which are the most ancient group of land plants. The clubmosses are an [[Order (biology)|order]] '''Lycopodiales''', (or a [[Subclass (biology)|subclass]] '''Lycopodiopsida''').

Clubmosses are thought to be structurally similar to the earliest [[vascular plant]]s, with small, scale-like leaves, homosporous [[spore]]s borne in [[sporangium|sporangia]] at the bases of the leaves, branching stems (usually dichotomous), and generally simple form.

A powder known simply as ''lycopodium'', consisting of dried spores of the common clubmoss, was used in Victorian theater to produce flame-effects. A blown cloud of spores burned rapidly and brightly, but with little heat. It was considered safe by the standards of the time.

== Taxonomy ==
The group is now split into two families:
*Lycopodiaceae: the typical clubmosses. Their spores are on a club-like structure. Their typical [[chromosome]] count is n=34.
*Huperziaceae: the firmosses. Their spore-bearing structures are in the axils of unmodified leaves. The family has a [[basal]] [[chromosome]] count of n=67.



{{biology-stub}}

[[Category:Vascular plants]]
[[Category:Plant taxonomy]]