Lycopodiella

General description:

Lycopodiella, or more commonly known as Club Moss, is a single genus within the family Lycopodiaceae, and includes 40 species. There is currently five species of Lycopodiella native to Australia, two of which are native to Western Australia.

Conservation status:

Lycopodiella has a 'not threatened' conservation code on Florabase. This means that the genus is currently thriving and not facing any major threats in population decline in Western Australia.

IUCN Status: Least Concern.

Threats:

Nil.

Diagnostic description:

Species of Lycopodiella are terrestrial. The main stems are of an indefinite length, and growing horizontally in a creeping motion. The branchlet system ends in buds, stopping the growth in length, and is very simple; growing away from the main stem. The leaves, of Lycopodiella, can either be equal in size or shape throughout the whole plant or of different size and shape, either less than 4.5mm or more than 6mm; with or lacking in veinal mucilage canals. The plants' strobili can either be erect, pointing up, or nodding, hanging to the ground. The strobili occur either on the end of the stem or on the sides (Chinnock, 1992).
The sporangia are on bases of sporophyll or axillary; the valves of the sporangia can be of equal or different size, with spores that are wrinkled and rugged (Chinnock, 1992). The Gametophytes are green and tubular in shape, living on the surface of the sporangia and they obtain nutrients through organic matter and photosynthesis. Pluricellular hairs in the gametangia are absent (Chinnock, 1992).

Taxon biology:

Lycopodiella are terrestrial plants that thrive in moist-temperate and tropical climates, and use creeping horizontal stems to expand (McAuliffe, 2012).

Evolution:

In Wikstrom and Kenrick's 2009 article, the relationship between Lycopodium and Lycopodiella (Lycopodiaceae) were investigated through the use of the rbcL gene and trnL intron (Plastid sets) and a sample of 21 species. This investigation resulted in a supporting argument of a relationship of monophyly between the two genus'. They also discovered, through the use of a phylogenic tree, that the earliest date for the split between Lycopodium and Lycopodiella was 208 million years ago (Early Jurassic). Their studies, of phylogenetic patterns, also showed that Lycopodium and Lycopodiella have larger geographical regions than that of Huperzia (Wikstrom et al, 2000).

Phylogeny:

Lycopodiella Phylogeny

The Phylogeny of Lycopodiella. Retrieved from Wikstrom et al, 2000.

Distribution:

Different species of Lycopodiella are widespread throughout the world, with the greatest abundance and diversity in America. Australia currently has five species of Lycopodiella, two of which are found within WA. Lycopodiella cernua is found to thrive throughout the north of WA in the Kimberley region, whilst Lycopodiella serpentina is found in the South-West of WA, with some populations in Perth (Wheeler et al, 1992).

Link to distribution of Lycopodiella cernua: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/12813

Link to distribution of Lycopodiella serpentina: https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/12783

Habitat:

Lycopodiella are found to thrive in moist areas in temperate and tropical climates. Different species can be found within different environmental conditions as long as they are relatively moist, these include; black peaty soil, granite, swamps, wet rock ledges, creek banks, seepage areas (McAuliffe, 2012)

Uses:

Lycopodiella have many uses ranging from medicinal to decorative. In many countries the plant is crushed, boiled, or prepared as tea to heal wounds, stomach ulcers and many other diseases. Parts of the plant are also used as flea treatments, lotions, cockroach repellant and as ceremonial decorations (Schmelzer et al, 2008).

Lycopodiella

General description:

Lycopodiella is a genus in the club moss family Lycopodiaceae (Øllgaard, 2004). The genus members are commonly called bog clubmosses, describing their wetland habitat (Øllgaard, 2004. They are recognized by their simple terminal strobili on upright shoots borne from creeping stems (Øllgaard, 2004. There are 38 species; the distribution is cosmopolitan, with centres of diversity in the tropical New World and New Guinea (Øllgaard, 2004. In Australia there are 3 species of lycopodiella, with 2 being native to Western Australia, Lycopodiella cernua (L.) Pic.Serm. and Lycopodiella serpentine (Kunze) B. Ollg (Florabase 1998).

Figure 1. Lycopodiella cernua, This image was taken from Australian National Botanic Gardens

Figure 2. Lycopodiella serpentine This image was taken from Australian National Botanic Gardens

Conservation status:

Two species native to Western Australia Lycopodiella serpentina, and Lycopodiella cernua both are classed as non threatened (Florabase. 1998).

Threats:

The two Lycopodiella species in Western Australia suffer several threats (Whittier & Carter. 2009). Threats include habitat loss and/or modification (e.g. water regimes, livestock grazing and/or trampling) and other direct human impacts. Competition with overly dense Leptospermum sp. and Coral Fern is also a threat (Whittier & Carter. 2009).

Diagnostic description:

Lycopodiella is a genus in the club moss family Lycopodiaceae. The ferns are terrestrial plants often found creeping on wet ground. The branch systems are unequal, and can sometimes have true lateral branching. The indeterminate rhizomes are found creeping or under the earth’s surface. The determinate branchlet system vary from simple to much branched and are found rising along the back of the main stems. Leaves are more than 6 mm long and vary between species that have the same shape and size leaf throughout the plant and others which have more than two different leaves, Lycopodiella can be found with or without veinal mucilage canals and have strobili which are either found erect, nodding or hanging downwards, and end in simple, rarely forked erect branches or much-branched branchlet systems, or are found on their side on overtopping erect or rising branches. The sporophylls are shield shaped and attached to the lower surface at a distance from the margin. The sporophylls are located medially, facing or on the side toward the base, or with fused basal membranes that almost enclose the sporangia. The sporangia are located on sporophyll bases or growing from an axil, with the two valves of the sporangium either equal in size or unequal. The spores are wrinkled and ridged, and are arranged in an irregular pattern. The gametophytes are green, tuberous and lobed above, and surface living obtaining nutrients partly from dead organic matter and partly from photosynthesis. The gametophytes also lack multi cellular hairs among the gametangia.

Taxon biology:

Tracheophyta +
- Lycopodiopsida +
  - Lycopodiales +
    - Lycopodiaceae +
      - Lycopodiella
        Lycopodiella alopecuroides (L.) Cranfill
        
        Lycopodiella appressa (Chapm.) Cranfill
        
        Lycopodiella brucei Cranfill
        
        Lycopodiella caroliniana (L.) Pic. Serm.
        
        Lycopodiella cernua (L.) Pic. Serm.
        
        Lycopodiella copelandii (Eiger) Cranfill
        
        Lycopodiella gilmanii A. Haines
        
        Lycopodiella inundata (L.) Holub
        
        Lycopodiella serpentina (Kunze) B.Ollg.
        
        Lycopodiella prostrata (R.M.Harper) Cranfill
        
        Lycopodiella subappressa J.G.Bruce,W.H.Wagner,&Beite

Figure 3. Taxon biology of Lycopodiella,(Whittier & Carter. 2009).

Evolution:

The relationships of Lycopodium and Lycopodiella (Lycopodiaceae) were investigated based on two plastid data sets (rbcL gene and trnL intron) from a representative sample of 21 species in a article written by Wikstrom and Kenrick in 2009. Separate and combined analyses of the data revealed consistent patterns of relationship, strongly supporting monophyly of Lycopodium and Lycopodiella (Wikstrom & Kenrick, 2009). Calibration of the phylogenetic tree using fossil evidence indicated a minimum age of Early Jurassic (208 Myr) for the split between Lycopodium and Lycopodiella (Wikstrom & Kenrick, 2009). An evaluation of biogeographic and phylogenetic patterns in these two genera showed a striking difference from that in Huperzia. Sections within Lycopodium and Lycopodiella have broad geographic distributions, whereas molecular data partition the much larger Huperzia group into predominantly neotropical and paleotropical clades (Wikstrom & Kenrick, 2009).

Phylogeny:

The Lycopodiaceae are a small ancient family with about 400 extant species (Wikstrom & Kenrick, 2009). The family has a world–wide distribution, but the species diversity is greatest among the epiphytic species of Huperzia found in tropical forests of South America and Southeast Asia and the Andean paramos and subparamos (Wikstrom & Kenrick, 2009). Recent studies suggest that the genus Huperzia is paraphyletic with the monotypic Phylloglossum nested within and sister to H. selago. Evidence suggests that the ground dwelling ‘strobilate’ groups Lycopodium with about 40 species and nine sections (some of which are treated as distinct genera) and Lycopodiella with about 40 species and four sections or genera are monophyletic (Wikstrom & Kenrick, 2009). Phylogeny shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 4. Phylogeny of Lycopodiella, (Wikstrom & Kenrick, 2009)

Distribution:

There are 38 species; the distribution is cosmopolitan, with centers of diversity in the tropical New World and New Guinea, the distribution in Western Australia however is shown in figure 2.

Figure 5. Distribution of Lycopodiella in Western Australia, this image was taken from Flora base 1998

Habitat:

The two species of Lycopodiella found in Western Australia have similar habitats, both are common in diverse habitats but prefers wet areas, often rowing in shrublands or among tall grasses on open, wet mountain ridges and in montane bogs (Whittier & Carter. 2009).

Uses:

Lycopodiella cernua (L.) Pic. Serm. (Licopodiaceae) has been used in Vietnamese folk medicine for treating central nervous system condition, other species of Lycopodiella have also been used as cockroach repellent (Øllgaard, 2004).

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