Ferns and Fern Allies of Wisconsin
Key
| In some species in the Lycopodiaceae, as the stems (or branches) grow they produce either shorter leaves (and/or leaves strongly inclined up or down) at the beginning and/or end of the growing season, resulting in the impression of a narrowing or "constriction" between the length of stem or branch produced in one year and the length produced in the next year. These "annual constrictions" are sometimes important taxonomic characters. Gemmae are vegetative propagules, i.e. succulent vegetative growths formed on distinctive "gemmiferous branchlets" . The gemmae are released from the branchlets at maturity and if they fall on a suitable location they can develop into a separate individual, but with the same genes as the parent. Examples of "annual constrictions", "gemmiferous branches" and "gemmae" can be found on the page for Huperzia lucidula. | ||||||
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