#diphasiastrum digitatum

[vandaliatraveler]

Tibbs Run Preserve, Panel 1 of 3.  Beneath the moist dripping vaults of the primeval green cathedral gather the true believers: moss, fungi, and ferns. The old hemlock forest ministers silently, relentlessly to its devoted congregation, heathens and pagans all, and adorns the ruins of its trespassers in moss and rhododendron. None but nature shall endure.

[on-my-way-to-the-woods]

We've been hiking a decent bit lately

[cedar-glade]

a gift from the fairies,  

  Juniperus virginiana, eastern red cedar cones, aka juniper berries. The back ground is a solid mat of  Diphasiastrum digitatum, running fan moss or running ground cedar (not a moss but an early vascular relative or lycophyte). One of many evergreen species found under the lush floor of a cedar glade’s cedar thicket. The smell of these cones is amazing when crushed and it, along with relatives, are used in the flavoring of gin. 

Photographed with @bloodfleurs, Adams co. Ohio.

[howlmountain]

The powerline right-of-way is a really desolate and damaged area due to the persistent herbicides they sprayed for years, but the fan club moss and reindeer moss really like the shadier parts of it.

[deathtek]

11/7/20

[fernscare]

more from stone mtn state park

[mbsposts]

20190403  Stone Mountain State Park North Carolina

Running Cedar      Diphasiastrum digitatum

[eengwall]

Diphasiastrum digitatum alsoknown as fan clubmoss, groundcedar, running cedar or crowsfoot #moss #appalachiantrail #poconosmountains #delawarerivergaprecreationalarea (at Mt. Minsi Trail) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDU-TxsnqSR/?igshid=1isxjvsga5neb

[fatchance]

Slide Show: Running cedar (Diphasiastrum digitatum), near Pandapas Pond in the Jefferson National Forest, Montgomery County, Virginia. January 1981.

Transfer from Kodachrome 64 slide film.

[vandaliatraveler]

Fan clubmoss (Diphasiastrum digitatum), also known as ground cedar, spreads across the forest floor on long horizontal stems, which produce upright shoots with flat, fan-like, thrice-divided branches reminiscent of cedar leaves. In addition to the lush, beautifully-meshed carpet these ancient vascular plants make on a shady forest floor; their spores contain a flammable oil and were once used to create the explosive flash in magic shows. Photos above were taken on Snake Hill.

[life-liberty-and-love]

Club Moss, Diphasiastrum digitatum

[cedar-glade]

Every year, I check up on this round stemmed tree moss  Dendrolycopodium hickeyi, individual to see if I can spot any new growth on the cliffside matt. This is similar to flat stemmed rare club moss in many ways outside of it’s rounded vs flat basal stem.  Dendrolycopodium obscurum and Dendrolycopodium hickeyi are both split from the same complex and usually associated with transient burn ridge pine communities(seral(intermediate secondary) succession) or semi permanent ericaceous burn ridge communities thriving on the duff mat and functionally existing due to pine duff associated mycorrhizal symbiosis. Many grape ferns can also be associated with symbiosis in separate habitats and the association and presence of one(the fern) means the other has to be present. These two tree like species feature one strobilus per strobilusphore(the thing that holds the strobilus) Where as running ground cedar(associated heavily with juniper woodland in alkaline context and majority seral succession(but obviously not limited to that))  Diphasiastrum digitatum, has 4 strobili(plural) per strobilusphore; and as the name suggests, it is stoloniferous and runs creating a darn tootin’ dense mat. 

[spatheandspadix]

Ever just want to immerse yourself in club moss forever?

[spatheandspadix]

The club moss Diphasiastrum digitatum is up there with skunk cabbage as a plant that I completely obsess over when I find it. It’s just so charming.

[spatheandspadix]

Wild club moss nights

[spatheandspadix]

Barbed wire and club moss, the afforested ridgetop pasture dream team