Lycopodium

Snake club moss ( Lycopodium annotinum )

Club mosses ( Lycopodium, Snake moss pentagram, Wolfsfuß ) are a genus of the Department vascular spore plants ( Pteridophyta ). The representatives of the order of Bärlappartigen are first occurred in the age of the Carboniferous ( Upper Carboniferous in front of about 318-299 million years ago) and it is available to the present.

Description

A characteristic feature of this genus is the differentiation of the shoot in an above - ground or underground creeping main axis and ascending or erect, shorter side branches as for the Flachbärlappe. The basic axis can reach lengths of several meters.

All shoots are branched dichotomously, however, both the main axis and in the area of the side shoots both anisotome (the two branches are different) as isotome (the two branches are created equal ) branches occur, causing very different growth forms can come about.

In contrast to the Flachbärlappen the leaves in this genus are acicular with a length of several millimeters. They are arranged spirally on all sides around the stems of the side shoots. Thus they are round cross-section with a diameter of 5-12 mm (including sheets).

For all Lycopodium species the sporophylls are clearly separated in ears or club-shaped, terminal sections. They are usually much smaller, but still different from the leaves.

Dissemination

Most species are from the temperate and subarctic areas and often grow in open forests, especially coniferous forests, rocky slopes, moors or heaths. The lobes club moss ( Lycopodium clavatum ) even occurs in mountainous regions of tropical Africa.

Systematics and species ( selection)

There are in this genus differ -wide views which differ widely in the various authors. The taxonomic classification and breakdown of the club mosses, and thus the genus clubmosses is still fraught with much uncertainty. In this case, among others, the Flachbärlappe as a section complanata are often incorporated herein. About the autonomy of the genus Lycopodiella ( with the marsh club moss ), however, there is now a broad consensus. The species described here, if the genus is interpreted in a broad sense, as summarized section Clavata.

In contrast to the Flachbärlappen the species of this genus, forming almost no hybrids. Of the 15 to 25 species are represented in Central Europe:

• Lobes club moss club moss or piston ( Lycopodium clavatum ) stalked with long, usually once forked branched Sporophyllständen.
• Snake club moss or Sprossender club moss ( Lycopodium annotinum ) with sessile Sporophyllständen.

Use

The spores of the club moss lobes found in the use of homeopathy. But club mosses are also a traditional remedy among primitive peoples and also found traditionally in Central Europe use. Application areas were and are still partially: as a wound means, particularly for poorly healing wounds, spasms of all kinds, gout and rheumatism.

With traditionally produced Lycopodium pills were used as a release agent to prevent sticking.

Clubmosses contain essential oils and alkaloids (mainly Lycopodin ). Also noticeable is a strong concentration of aluminum ions in the cell sap.

Lycopodium be used since the Neolithic shamanism worldwide for producing pyrotechnic effects. Today, they are often used by fire-eaters instead of flammable liquids. The effect is due to an explosion, similar to a flour dust explosion.

Trivia

The band Rammstein used for their American tour in 2012 about 4 tons of Chinese Lycopodium harvest, in which the Chinese year's harvest was only about 11 tons.