Lycopodiella inundata
Status UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority species. Nationally Scarce. Lycopodium, sensu lato - all species EC Habitats Directive Annex Vb. Cone IUCN Threat category: Endangered (2005).
Taxonomy Lycopodiopsida: Lycopodiaceae Leaves curved Leaves to one side on spread Scientific name: sterile shoot around Lycopodiella inundata (L.) Holub stems on fertile Common names: shoot Marsh Clubmoss, Cnwp-fwsogl y Gors
Lycopodiella inundata (Lepidotis inundata (L.) P. Beauv., Procumbent Lycopodium inundatum L., L. palustre Lam.) is one of rooting stems eight clubmosses in Britain. The clubmosses have either been treated taxonomically as two genera (Lycopodium and Selaginella) or Lycopodium has been split into four genera as here. The genus Lycopodiella contains about 50 species, and L. inundata is its only a b c representative in Britain. Figure 1. Lycopodiella inundata (from J. E. Smith & J. Sowerby (1852). English Botany. London). Biology & Distribution Detail of leaves; a, b, Leaves; c, Sporangium bearing leaf Clubmosses are relatives of ferns which reproduce with round sporangium. by spores, and they are typically low growing herbaceous plants with rather short (<1 cm) stiff Identification & Field survey leaves spirally arranged around the stems. The spores Lycopodiella inundata can be difficult to see as it is small are born in little ‘cones’. and creeping, but generally occurs in wet, seasonally- inundated places with open vegetation. It is often a It occurs on wet, bare peaty or sandy margins of lakes, yellowish-green colour which helps to pick it out. It is pools, flushes and trackways. Sometimes it is found most likely to be confused with Lycopodium clavatum, submerged in shallow water. It can rapidly colonise which differs immediately in having leaves with long substrates kept open by winter inundation, cattle hair points. poaching or peat cutting. Key characters Formerly scattered almost throughout Britain Procumbent perennial, stems to c. 20 cm, dying and Ireland, now very local, extinct in central and back quickly behind the green shoots; erect stems eastern England (Preston et al. 2002). The Snowdonia with cones to 8(-10) cm tall; leaves 4-6 mm, linear to National Park contains the Welsh stronghold. Many narrowly ovate, entire, held curved to one side (Figure sites in Britain were lost before 1930, and losses have 1a,b); sporangium-bearing leaves broader at base continued due to drainage, a lack of grazing and other (Figure 1c). disturbance, conversion to scrub, and eutrophication (Rasmussen & Lawesson 2002). However, it is easily overlooked and new sites have been found in recent years. Differentiation between similar species
Key 1. Stems erect Huperzia / Selaginella 1. At least some stems creeping along the ground 2
2. Leaves in 4 rows on stems Diphasiastrum / Selaginella 2. Leaves in whorls or spirals 3
3. Leaves flattened Lycopodium 3. Leaves awl-like (narrow and tapered to a point) Lycopodiella inundata
References Hutchinson, G. & Thomas, B. A. (1996). Welsh Ferns. Rasmussen, K. K. & Lawesson, J. E. (2002). 7th edn. National Museums and Galleries of Lycopodiella inundata in British plant communities Wales, Cardiff. and reasons for its decline. Watsonia 24: 45-55. Page, C. N. (1997). The Ferns of Britain and Ireland. Stewart, A., Pearman, D. A. & Preston, C. D. eds. (1994). 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Scarce Plants in Britain. JNCC, Peterborough. Preston, C. D., Pearman, D. A. & Dines, T. D. eds. A full species dossier and briefing sheet are available on (2002). New Atlas of the British & Irish flora. Oxford the Plantlife website (www.plantlife.org.uk) University Press, Oxford.
Additional photographs are available on the ARKive website (http://www.arkive.org/species).