Huperzia porophila

Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Subdivisio: Lycopodiophyta
Classis: Lycopodiopsida
Order: Lycopodiales
Familia: Lycopodiaceae
Genus: Huperzia
Species: Huperzia porophila

Name

Huperzia porophila (F.E.Lloyd & Underw.) Holub

References

USDA, NRCS. 2006. The PLANTS Database, 6 March 2006 (http://plants.usda.gov). Data compiled from various sources by Mark W. Skinner. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Vernacular names
English: Rock Club Moss, Rock Firmoss

Huperzia porophila, Rock firmoss, grows throughout the Appalachian province of the Eastern United States, but is rare east of the Appalachians, being most common in a north-south belt along the western plateau area.

Huperzia porophila grows only on or over rock and requires cool, moist, shaded, acid spots. It is a beautiful sight growing over boulders and outcrops. It is often confused with the Shining firmoss (Huperzia lucidula) whose range it largely shares and which also often grows on rocks. The rock firmoss leaves, 3-8 mm long, are generally not shiny like those of the Shining firmoss, and the ascending 12-15 cm stems are seldom branched.

This species is of hybrid origin, the parents being Huperzia lucidula and Huperzia selago.

H. porophila hybridizes with H. lucidula to produce the sterile hybrid H. Xbartleyi.