Observational Highlight of the Week: Diphasiastrum digitatum

Observational Highlight #8: Diphasiastrum digitatum (Fan Clubmoss)
Virginia Outdoors Foundation - Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve



© Paul Z, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)


Happy snow day everyone!

This week's highlight comes from an observation made by @pz1 and was observed near our research outpost located in Jackson Hollow. This continues our look at EZ-2-ID species winter edition!

This week's highlight of the week is a curious plant native to our preserve. The species goes by many names, including running cedar, ground cedar, and crowsfoot. Commonly referred to as the fan clubmoss, this species is a member of the family Lycopodiaceae and is an ancient linage of vascular plants originating in the Devonian period some 380 million years ago. On closer examination, the species' ancient appearance is on full display with the tight, scale-like leaves resembling something like lizard skin.

This evergreen species produce clonal colonies of four-leaved, vegetative shoots that can quickly spread in disputed areas of forest. The plant can grow to about 4 inches off the ground with its strobilus, or sporangia-bearing reproductive organ, reaching several inches higher. The species was once under pressure from over-harvesting for seasonal holiday decorations but has since recovered throughout its range. The spores of the fan clubmoss was also once a primary ingredient in Lycopodium powder, a highly flammable substance used in early flash photography.

But how about identification?

I'm glad you asked! There are a number of Lycopodiaceae species to be found on the preserve, including the similar-looking Flat-branched Tree-Clubmoss. This species can be confidently identified by fan-like, lateral branches held horizontally from its central shoot, these branches are above the ground surface, and has four ranks of scaled leaves along its lateral branches.

Please be sure to continue recording your natural observations to iNaturalist and supporting this project with your membership, comments, and dissemination of this project to your friends and family! Thank you to each and every one of our visiting citizen scientists!


ABOUT #BullRunMountainsNaturalPreserve
The Bull Run Mountains are the easternmost mountains in Virginia. Virginia Outdoors Foundation - Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve is approximately 2,350 acres that serve as a living laboratory that sits in the backyard of our nation’s capital. The preserve contains 10 different plant community types and a plethora of regionally uncommon and threatened plant and animal species. In 2002, this land was dedicated by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation as a natural area preserve to protect the unique ecosystems found here. As the owner and manager of the preserve, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation is committed to protecting the special ecosystem found here and sharing it with the public through managed access.

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Publicado el febrero 1, 2021 01:50 TARDE por mjwcarr mjwcarr

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