Index of Species Information
SPECIES: Lycopodium alpinum
Introductory
SPECIES: Lycopodium alpinum
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Williams, Tara Y. 1990. Lycopodium alpinum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online].
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer).
Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [].
ABBREVIATION :
LYCALP
SYNONYMS :
Diphasium alpinum (L.) Rothm.
SCS PLANT CODE :
LYAL3
COMMON NAMES :
alpine clubmoss
alpine ground-cedar
TAXONOMY :
The currently accepted scientific name of alpine clubmoss is Lycopodium
alpinum L.
LIFE FORM :
Fern or Fern Ally
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
No special status
OTHER STATUS :
Alpine clubmoss is rare in Glacier National Park where it is at the edge
of its range [9].
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Lycopodium alpinum
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Alpine clubmoss is a circumboreal species. It is distributed in North
America south to northern Washington, northwestern Montana, Quebec, and
Nova Scotia [4,10].
Occurrence in Glacier National Park: near Hidden Lake Overlook and east
end of Lower Snyder Lake [8].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES44 Alpine
STATES :
AK MT WA AB BC MB NS NF NT ON
PQ SK YT
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
2 Cascade Mountains
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K052 Alpine meadows and barren
SAF COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
Alpine clubmoss is an indicator of alpine tundra and boreal climates.
It is also an indicator of moderately dry or fresh soils and soils
medium-rich in nitrogen [6].
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SPECIES: Lycopodium alpinum
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
NO-ENTRY
PALATABILITY :
NO-ENTRY
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
COVER VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
Alpine clubmoss may cause hayfever [2].
OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
The boggy habitat of alpine clubmoss should be protected in Glacier
National Park, where the species is rare [8].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Lycopodium alpinum
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Alpine clubmoss, a native perennial forb, is similar to its congener
Lycopodium sitchense, and the two species sometimes hybridize. The
erect stems grow 4 to 8 inches (10-20 cm) high. The leaves are hollow
at the base. The creeping stems are found slightly beneath the soil
surface [4,10,12].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Undisturbed State: Cryptophyte (geophyte)
Burned or Clipped State: Cryptophyte (geophyte)
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Alpine clubmoss reproduces via spores produced by the sporophyte. A
spore, in a favorable spot, swells with water and bursts, putting forth
a slender, branching, many-celled green thread, called a gametophyte.
At maturity the gametophyte produces eggs and sperm. The sperm require
water (e.g. dew or rain) to swim to the egg. The fertilized egg remains
in the archegonium on the female plant, eventually developing into a
sporophyte. At maturity the sporophyte shoots forth, bursting the
archegonium and releasing spores. The sporphyte, derived from a
fertilized egg, is a diploid organism [16].
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Alpine clubmoss is a subalpine-alpine species. It is shade intolerant
and grows in nonforested heath communities or on rocky slopes in open
coniferous woods [4,6,12]. Alpine clubmoss is associated with Mertens
cassiope (Cassiope mertensiana), mountain luetkea (Luetkea pectinata),
pink mountain heath (Phyllodoce empetriformis), and other oxylophytic
species [6].
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Alpine clubmoss bears mature cones in late July and August [8].
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Lycopodium alpinum
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
The spores of clubmosses are highly flammable [15].
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
off-site colonizer; spores carried by wind; postfire years one and two
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Lycopodium alpinum
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
NO-ENTRY
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
NO-ENTRY
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
NO-ENTRY
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Lycopodium alpinum
REFERENCES :
1. Bernard, Stephen R.; Brown, Kenneth F. 1977. Distribution of mammals,
reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
associations for the eleven western states. Tech. Note 301. Denver, CO:
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p.
[434]
2. Dittberner, Phillip L.; Olson, Michael R. 1983. The plant information
network (PIN) data base: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, and
Wyoming. FWS/OBS-83/86. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior,
Fish and Wildlife Service. 786 p. [806]
3. Garrison, George A.; Bjugstad, Ardell J.; Duncan, Don A.; [and others].
1977. Vegetation and environmental features of forest and range
ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service. 68 p. [998]
4. Hitchcock, C. Leo; Cronquist, Arthur; Ownbey, Marion. 1969. Vascular
plants of the Pacific Northwest. Part 1: Vascular cryptograms,
gymnosperms, and monocotyledons. Seattle, WA: University of Washington
Press. 914 p. [1169]
5. Kartesz, John T.; Kartesz, Rosemarie. 1980. A synonymized checklist of
the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. Volume
II: The biota of North America. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North
Carolina Press; in confederation with Anne H. Lindsey and C. Richie
Bell, North Carolina Botanical Garden. 500 p. [6954]
6. Klinka, K.; Krajina, V. J.; Ceska, A.; Scagel, A. M. 1989. Indicator
plants of coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: University of British
Columbia Press. 288 p. [10703]
7. Kuchler, A. W. 1964. Manual to accompany the map of potential vegetation
of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
American Geographical Society. 77 p. [1384]
8. Lesher, Robin. 1984. Botanical reconnaissance of Silver Lake Research
Natural Area, North Cascades National Park, Washington. Res. Note
PNW-410. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,
Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 27 p. [1446]
9. Lesica, P.; Moore, G.; Peterson, K. M.; Rumely, J. H. (Montana Rare
Plant Project). 1984. Vascular plants of limited distribution in
Montana. Monograph No. 2. Montana Academy of Sciences, Supplement to the
Proceedings, Volume 43. Bozman, MT: Montana State University, Montana
Academy of Sciences. 61 p. [11656]
10. Moss, E. H. 1955. The vegetation of Alberta. Botanical Review. 21(9):
493-567. [6878]
11. Raunkiaer, C. 1934. The life forms of plants and statistical plant
geography. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 632 p. [2843]
12. Standley, Paul C. 1921. Flora of Glacier National Park, Montana.
Contributions from the United States National Herbarium. Vol. 22, Part
5. Washington, DC: United States National Museum, Smithsonian
Institution: 235-438. [12318]
13. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 1982.
National list of scientific plant names. Vol. 1. List of plant names.
SCS-TP-159. Washington, DC. 416 p. [11573]
14. Lyon, L. Jack; Stickney, Peter F. 1976. Early vegetal succession
following large northern Rocky Mountain wildfires. In: Proceedings, Tall
Timbers fire ecology conference and Intermountain Fire Research Council
fire and land management symposium; 1974 October 8-10; Missoula, MT. No.
14. Tallahassee, FL: Tall Timbers Research Station: 355-373. [1496]
15. Dayton, William A. 1960. Notes on western range forbs: Equisetaceae
through Fumariaceae. Agric. Handb. 161. Washington, DC: U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Forest Service. 254 p. [767]
16. Conard, Henry S. 1956. How to know the mosses and liverworts. Dubuque,
IA: Wm.C. Brown Company Publishers. 226 p. [9927]
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