Diphasiastrum alpinum, the alpine clubmoss, is a species of clubmoss. This plant is a glaucous scale-leaved perennial pteridophyte. In Finland, the spores are produced June to September. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his Flora Lapponica, 1737, from specimens obtained in Finland.
Description Diphasiastrum alpinum have 30-50 cm long stems, with 3-5 cm long branches. The stems are upright, 4-edged, growing densely in branchy bunches. The leaves are small, scale-like, wintering and parallel to the stem. The leaves are hollow at the bases.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. The spore-cases are in sessile, 1-1,5 cm long, densely cylindrical spore cones. The female stems produce strobili up to long.Lycopodium alpinum. Washington Burke Museum.Flora of North America, Diphasiastrum alpinum (Linnaeus) Holub, 1975. Alpine club-moss, lycopode alpin Flora of China, Lycopodium alpinum Linnaeus, 1753. 高山扁枝石松 gao shan bian zhi shi song
Diphasiastrum alpinum may hybridize with Diphasiastrum sitchense.
Distribution It has a circumpolar distribution across much of the northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere: much of Canada, the northwestern United States, northern and central Europe, Russia, China and Japan. It is an indicator of alpine tundra and boreal climates. It is found in mountains and moors often with Calluna and grasses.Biota of North America Program 2014 state-level distribution map
References
External links United States Department of Agriculture, Plants Profile