Lycopodiaceae

Links to Genus Directory of Images:

 return to Lycophyta page

Genera : 10-15

Species: Around 1,000

Distribution: Worldwide

Economic Uses: Today these plants are either protected or should be. In the past, certain species with conifer-like foliage were used in wreathes. Spores were used as flash powder. The same plants used in wreaths were even collected, dried ands old as underwater"pines" in the aquarium trade. Unsuspectinghobbyists would buy these dead plants which would slowly decay after planting.

Defining Features of Interest: Herbaceous plants with no secondary growth. Microphylls do not have ligules. Other characters same as for the Lycophyta.

Fossil Evidence: Extensive fossil record dating from the Devonian.

Defining Morphology

Reproductive Characters: Homosporous with exosporic bisexual gametophytes. Gametophytes are free living and either photosynthetic or subterranean and dependent on a fungus for nutrition. Sporangia are borne on sporophylls. Sporophylls are either grouped in terminal aggrgations to form a strobilus or are distributed in alternating clusters with non sporangium bearing leaves. Some species reproduce vegetatively by means of bulbils.