Some similarities to : Interrupted Clubmoss but that has short sections of the stem where there are no leaves.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature : Stiff as a brush! Forks into two near the top, rather than half-way up.

It is to be found growing in grass on dry heaths, moors and mountains.

Over 200 different Lycopodium alkaloids have been discovered. Collectively, within Clubmosses, they are a moderately hazardous neurotoxin, causing vomiting, nausea, dizziness, staggering and coma. It can be lethal.

ANY TEXT GOES HERE

LYCOPODIUM ALKALOIDS Many mosses belonging to the Lycopodium, Huperzia and Phyloglossum Genus [all three belonging to the Lycopodiaceae Family] contain highly toxic quinolizidine alkaloids such as lycopodine, annotidine/annotinine, huperzine A and selagine. The alkaloids of the Clubmosses are based upon 20 differing skeletoal frameworks. Huperzine A and Selagine have a similar structural skeleton and are found in a wide variety of Clubmosses. There exist many other variations on this molecule. Lycofoline, Lycopodine and Annotinine are all based on the Annotinine skeletal frame. Cernuine and Lycoramine on differing skeletal frameworks. Further examples of the skeletal structures of Lycopdium alkaloids are to be found on the Common Clubmoss page. Huperzine A was first found in Huperzia Selago, the Fir Clubmoss featured on this page. It is an Acetylcholine inhibitor and may eventually find use in treating Alzheimers disease. Selagine could have first been found in Lesser Clubmoss, (Selaginella Salaginoides), or in Huperzia Selago. Lycopodine, Lycofoline and Annotinine have much the same molecular structure, and are to be found in most Clubmosses. Lycofoline is perhaps less abundant than the other alkaloids. Once again, many other molecular variants exist. Annotinine/Annotidine was first found in Interrupted Clubmoss (Lycopodium Annotinum) and Cernuine in the possibly non-native Creeping Clubmoss (Lycopodium Cernuum) Lycoramine is a rather different alkaloid with 5-, 6- and 7-membered rings found in Lycopodium Clubmosses. Lycoramine is chemically very similar to Galanthamine which occurs in members of the Daffodil Family.

Distribution

BSBI maps

Huperzia

FIR CLUBMOSS

Huperzia Selago

Fir Clubmoss Family [Huperziaceae]