Lycopodium clavatum

Running-pine, Running-Pine

Family: Lycopodiaceae · Type: Moss · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.1

Running-pine is a California native moss found in the North Coast bioregion in moist ground and swamps at elevations below 200 meters. With minimal flowering information available, this moss produces greenish-brown spore-bearing cones 1 to 3 centimeters long. Growing as a wide-creeping ground cover with vine-like stems up to 0.5 meters long and 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters wide, it spreads across forest floors and tree surfaces. Its leaves are small, approximately 4 to 7 millimeters long with distinctive narrow bristle tips, creating a delicate textured appearance. The moss produces 2 to 5 terminal reproductive cones on its fertile stems, characteristic of its sprawling growth habit.

Habitat: Moist ground, swamps (on trees)

Elevation: < 200 m

Bioregions: NCo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.