# interrupted clubmoss (*Spinulum annotinum*) The interrupted clubmoss is a special plant that looks like a tiny tree! It has green, needle-like leaves and grows in shady, damp places. This plant is very old and has been around since the time of dinosaurs! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Forests ![interrupted clubmoss](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lycopodium_annotinum_161102a.jpg&width=800) Photo: Bernd Haynold, CC BY 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lycopodium_annotinum_161102a.jpg) ## Appearance The interrupted clubmoss has upright, branching stems covered in small, needle-like green leaves, giving it a spiky texture. Its unique cone-like spore structures (strobili) are distinctively "interrupted" by a section of regular leaves along the stem. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Lycopodiopsida - **Order:** Lycopodiales - **Family:** Lycopodiaceae - **Genus:** Spinulum ## Interesting facts - Clubmoss spores were once used as flash powder for early photography! - Despite its name, it's not a moss at all, but a "living fossil" plant! - Its ancient ancestors were tree-sized giants millions of years ago! - Some people believe finding clubmoss brings good luck in the forest! ## Special abilities - **Ancient Spore Power:** Interrupted clubmoss reproduces using tiny spores, an ancient survival method allowing it to spread widely without needing flowers or seeds. - **Underground Networker:** It grows long underground stems called rhizomes, creating a hidden network that helps it spread across the forest floor and survive. - **Year-Round Green:** This clubmoss stays green even in winter, letting it make food from sunlight whenever possible, unlike plants that lose their leaves. - **Unique Spore Towers:** Its spore-bearing cones are uniquely 'interrupted' by regular leaves, creating distinctive towers that release spores for reproduction. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-30 cm - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer may occasionally browse its tough, evergreen leaves. - **Depends on:** [Eastern White Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-white-pine) (*Pinus strobus*) — Thrives in the cool, shaded understory provided by pine trees. - **Shelter:** Masked Shrew (*Sorex cinereus*) — Small shrews often find cover within its dense, low-growing stems. ## Traits - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Miniature](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/miniature): Pertaining to species that are significantly smaller than typical or average for their kind. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants unless you know they are safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify interrupted clubmoss? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is interrupted clubmoss? 10-30 cm ### Is interrupted clubmoss edible? No ### Is interrupted clubmoss toxic? None ### What is interrupted clubmoss's lifecycle? Perennial ### Where is interrupted clubmoss usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Loyalsock State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/loyalsock-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [New Boston Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/new-boston-village-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Quehanna Wild Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/quehanna-wild-area) — Pennsylvania, US · Nature Reserve - [Dorchester Common Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dorchester-common-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [Mohawk Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mohawk-trail) — Massachusetts, US · Trail - [Norway Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/norway-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District [View all places to see interrupted clubmoss](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/interrupted-clubmoss) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Interrupted Clubmoss: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/interrupted-clubmoss)