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
Conservation status
Secure  (NatureServe)
Scientific 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
Lepidotis dendroidea (Michx.) P. Beauv. Lycopodium dendroideum Michx. Lycopodium obscurum f. dendroideum (Michx.) H.L. Blomq. & Correll Lycopodium obscurum var. dendroideum (Michx.) D.C. Eaton

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]

Uses

Historically, 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]}