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Appalachian Firmoss Huperzia appressa (Desv.) A. L?ve & D. L?ve |
Clubmosses |  Printer Friendly Version (PDF) |
Family: Club-moss Family (Lycopodiaceae)
State Protection: Rare 
listed species have: 1) 20 to 35 extant sites, or 2) 3,000 to 5,000 individuals statewide. Federal Protection: Not Listed State Rarity Rank: S3
A State Rarity Rank of S3 means: This plant is rare in New York (typically 21-50 populations, limited number of individuals, or limited range). Global Rarity Rank: G5
A Global Rarity Rank of G5 means: This species is demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery. Did you know? Applachian Firmoss and its close relatives grow only a few inches high, but fossils dating from before the evolution of flowering plants (about 160 million years ago) have revealed that the ancestors of modern clubmoss species grew to the size of our modern-day trees. Hybrids of Appalachian Firmoss with other closely related species are relatively common in certain parts of its range. This is probably the result of asexual propagules (gemmae) that help to maintain the hybrids even if the spores are not viable. |
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| State Ranking Justification | [-] |
There are 24 existing populations and 10 of these populations are considered to have good to excellent viability. There are 3 historical populations. One of the historical populations was searched for without success but there is more habitat to search at the site and more survey work is needed. All but a few populations are known from the high peaks region of the Adirondacks. The others are known from the Catskills. Many of the populations in the Adirondacks are threatened by trampling from hiker traffic.
| Short-term Trends | [-] |
Trampling by hiker traffic has apparently had some negative impact on some of the populations,but clear data is not available. Nine populations were first documented in the past 20 years. These populations were probably overlooked in the past and likely do not represent truly new populations. Overall, short-term trends are unclear but probably represent a small decline.
| Long-term Trends | [-] |
There are no populations which are known to have become extirpated. There are about three historical populations which have not been seen in recent years. One of these populations was searched for twice without success. Still, surveyors concluded that there is abundant habitat present, and further survey work is needed to determine if this population is still extant. The other historical populations also need to be searched for before a determination can be made on their condition. Population size varies considerably. Some have only 15 patches while others have 10's of thousands of individuals. Overall, long-term trends are unclear.
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Home | Advanced Search | About Us Animal Guides | Plant Guides | Community Guides © 2004-2012 New York Natural Heritage Program, a partnership between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Please cite this page as:
New York Natural Heritage Program. 2013. Online Conservation Guide for Huperzia appressa. Available from: http://www.acris.nynhp.org/guide.php?id=9846. Accessed May 21st, 2013. 
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