The Lycopodiophyta Division contains plants called "Lycopods." Lycopods have green, branched stems, small scale-like leaves, and rhizomes (underground stems which spread and grow new plants). Instead of flowers and seeds, Lycopods release spores from areas on their leaves. Spores travel to new places and start new plants.
Plants in the Lycopodiophyta Division include Club Mosses, Quillworts, and Spikemosses.
The Lycopodiophyta Division contains only one Class: Lycopodiopsida.
Lycopodiopsida Class: Lycopodiopsida is the only class in the Lycopodiophyta Division, so the description above applies to the Class as well as the Divsion. The Lycopodiopsida Class is split into three Orders; the Isoetales Order, the Lycopodiales Order, and the Selaginellales Order.
Isoetales Order: This Order includes Quillworts. Quillworts grow in shallow water; especially lakes, ponds, and marshes. They look somewhat grass-like.
Lycopodiales Order: These plants are called "Club Mosses." Club Mosses, which are not very much like real mosses, live in moist places. They often form colonies when their rhizomes spread and send up many new plants. Most species in the Lycopodiophyta Division are Club Mosses.
Selaginellales Order: These plants are known as "Spikemosses." They are also not very much like real mosses, but they are quite similar to Club Mosses.
All of the Orders above have been split into smaller groups, called Families. Families are then split into Genera. Remember, as each group gets smaller, organisms in that group are more and more alike. Each Genus will contain individual Species.
Information on specific Families and Genera is not included on this website, but you can find out which groups a species belongs to by checking the Classification Box at the bottom of each Species Page. See the example of an Running Cedar below:
Running Cedar: