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

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

vascular Vascular can refer to: * blood vessels, the vascular system in animals * vascular tissue Vascular tissue is a complex transporting tissue, formed of more than one cell type, found in vascular plants. The primary components of vascular tissue ...

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 17 accepted genera and about 500 known species. This family originated about 380 mi ...

. It is commonly found along the Atlantic seaboard and has 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 ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...

, 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 (in fungi) 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 plant ...

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 Northern America