The branches are arranged in a straight central axis with side branches – it does not appear forked. It usually has 2 to 5 loosely alternate, 3 ⁄ 16 ″ to 5 ⁄ 16 ″ (5 to 8 mm) long branches (pedicels) with a single cone-like, spore-bearing structure (strobilus) at the end of each pedicel. The peduncle is 1 ⅜ ″ to 4 ¾ ″ (3.5 to 12.5 cm) long and is covered, at least on the upper portion, with appressed leaves arranged in pseudo-whorls. The margins are untoothed.Ī single stalk (peduncle) rises at the end of one or more of the branches on fertile shoots. They are sharply pointed and have a 1 ⁄ 16 ″ to ⅛ ″ (2.5 to 4.0 mm) long hair-like tip. The leaf blades are medium green, long and narrow with straight sides (linear), ⅛ ″ to ¼ ″ (4 to 6 mm) long, and 1 ⁄ 64 ″ to 1 ⁄ 32 ″ (0.4 to 0.8 mm) wide. The leaves are stalkless and mostly spreading but those at the upper third of the branches are often somewhat curved up from the base (ascending).
The rhizome, shoot, branches, and branchlets are all densely covered with small leaves arranged spirally in 12 to 20 ranks. The branches and branchlets have abrupt narrow areas with smaller leaves that mark the start and end of each year’s growth (annual constrictions). Many are branched again into two or more somewhat spreading branchlets. Most are on the lower half of the upright shoot. The branches are of various lengths, are similar to the main shoot, and rise at an angle (oblique) or are nearly horizontal (spreading). Upright shoots are leafy, round in cross section, 4 ″ to 10 ″ (10 to 25 cm) long, 3 ⁄ 16 ″ to ⅝ ″ (5 to 15 mm) in diameter including the leaves, and have 3 to 6 lateral branches. Roots emerge at long intervals from the underside and upright shoots at shorter intervals from the upper side. It is branched and the branches interlace, often forming dense colonies. The rhizome can be up to 39 ″ (1 m) long and lies mostly flat on the ground, sometimes under the duff layer, but never beneath the soil surface. It produces a very long, creeping, horizontal stem (rhizome) and clusters of upright stems. Running clubmoss is an evergreen, perennial club moss. It is common in Minnesota in the Arrowhead region, infrequent in the north-central and central regions as far south as the northern metro, infrequent in the driftless area in the southeast, and absent from the remainder of the state. In the United States it occurs from the northeast to the upper Midwest, south along the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia, in the northwest, and on the West Coast.
It has a worldwide distribution, occurring on every continent except Australia and Antarctica. Running clubmoss is very widespread and common. There are 76 species of Lycopodium worldwide.
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