View in other NatureServe Network Field Guides
NatureServe
Montana
Utah
Wyoming
Idaho
Wisconsin
British Columbia
South Carolina
Yukon
California
New York
Stiff Clubmoss - Lycopodium annotinum
Other Names:
Spinulum annotinum
Native Species
Global Rank:
G5
State Rank:
S4
(see State Rank Reason below)
C-value:
6
Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
DRAFT: Requesting feedback on the 2026 revised rank, factors, and State Rank Reason outlined below and in the Conservation Status Rank Report.
Lycopodium annotinum is uncommon but widespread in western and the mountainous portions of central Montana. It is the most common species of clubmoss in the state. Population levels and trends are largely unknown or undocumented. However, the species appears to be abundant enough and no significant and widespread threats are known, as a result the species appears to be relatively secure in the state.
General Description
Stiff club-moss, a perennial, has elongated horizontal stems trailing on the ground, rooting at intervals, mostly unbranched. Upright shoots are clustered, mainly unbranched or sparsely branched near the base, 1.2-1.6 cm in diameter and to 20 cm or more in height; annual bud constrictions abrupt and conspicuous. Lateral branchlets few but without the annual constrictions. Leaves dark green, spreading to reflexed, linear-lanceolate (lance-shaped) 2.5 x 6 mm, stiff, sharp pointed, lacking a hair tip. Strobili (cone-like structure composed of overlapping scales bearing spore-containing structures) sessile at the ends of the shoots, solitary, 15-30 x 3.5-4.5 mm. Sporophylls (scales of the strobili) to 3.4 x 2 mm, abruptly narrowed to pointed tips.
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
In northwestern MT sporadically east to Stillwater County; AK to Greenland south to AZ, NM, OH, TN (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 153
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Mesic to wet forest; valleys to subalpine, occasionally alpine. A small form of this species can be found growing in Sphagnum moss at the margin of fens (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Stewardship Responsibility
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?- Cope, M.G. 1992. Distribution, habitat selection and survival of transplanted Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) in the Tobacco Valley, Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, Montana: Montana State University. 60 p.
Hansen, J. J. 1987. Effect of stock density on ground cover on a southwest Montana foothills rangeland. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 65 p.- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
- Web Search Engines for Articles on "Stiff Clubmoss"
