Diphasiastrum tristachyum

Blue Ground Cedar

Blue Ground Cedar
Photo courtesy Wisconsin State Herbarium
and Emmet J. Judziewicz

Flora, fauna, earth, and sky...
The natural history of the northwoods

Name:

• Diphasiastrum, from the generic name Diphasium, and astrum, "inferiority or partial resemblance", hence, "false Diphasium"
• tristachyum, from the Latin, "three branched"
• Three Branched Clubmoss, a reference to three pair branching pattern
• Other common names include Deeproot Clubmoss, Ground Cedar, Ground Pine

Taxonomy:

• Kingdom Plantae, the Plants
  • Division Lycopodiophyta, the Club Mosses
    • Class Lycopodiopsida, the Club Mosses
      • Order Lycopodiales, the Club Mosses
        • Family Lycopodiaceae, the Club Mosses
          • Genus Lycopodium, the Club Mosses
• Taxonomic Serial Number: 17037
• Also known as Diphasiastrum tristachyum, Diphasium chamicyparissus, Diphasium complanatum ssp. chamicyparissus, Diphasium tristachyum, Lycopodium chamicyparissus, Lycopodium complanatum ssp. chamicyparissus, Lycopodium complanatum var. chamicyparissus, Lycopodium complanatum var. patentifolium

Description:

• An upright, evergreen, rhizomatous clubmoss of balanced form, resembling a miniature, prehistoric tree. Height to 12"
• Vertical stem grows as individual little trees.
  • branches rebranch to form upright, spreading fans
  • ultimate branchlets cord-like, nearly square in cross section
  • leaves blue green, tiny, and flattened
• Horizontal stem creeping and branching well below ground.
• Cones cylindrical, 2½" long, on slender 3½" stems borne in candelabra-like clusters of 3-4.
• Roots sparse and hairlike

Identification:

• Identifiable as a Ground Cedar by its scale-like leaves
• Distinguished from other Ground Cedars by its cord-like ultimate branchlets, nearly square in cross section. The other Ground Cedars have blade-like ultimate branchlets which are flat in cross section.
• Field Marks
  • scale-like leaves
  • upright, fan-shaped branches
  • cord-like ultimate branchlets
  • blue green color
  • delicate candelabra cone clusters
  • rhizome well below the surface

Distribution:

• New Brunswick to Minnesota, south to Alabama.

Habitat:

• Dry, sandy, shaded coniferous woods, rocks.

Fire:

Associates:

History:

Uses:

Reproduction:

• By spore and vegetatively by rhizome

Propagation:

• Very difficult.

Cultivation:

• Clubmosses can make attractive ground covers, but they do not transplant well

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