Flora of the Southeastern United States

Huperzia porophila (F.E. Lloyd & Underwood) Holub. Common name: Rock Firmoss, Rock Clubmoss. Phenology: Jun-Sep. Habitat: Rock outcrops and cliffs, especially in the spray of waterfalls, at low to medium elevations, usually on sandstone or felsic metamorphic or metaigneous rocks (acidic schists, gneisses, granitic gneisses), and most characteristically on ledges or in crevices in overhung settings along the cliff face where the plants receive little or no direct sunlight. Distribution: Centered in the sedimentary Central Appalachians, H. porophila ranges from ne. PA, WV, OH, WI, ON, and MN south to w. NC, nw. SC, ne. GA, nw. AL, and e. MO.

ID notes: Huperzia porophila is almost always found in heavy shade, in crevices or ledges on vertical or even overhung cliffs, at low to moderate elevations (< 4000 feet).

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Waterway (1986) clarified the distinctions between H. porophila and H. lucidula. We do not accept the conclusions of Björk (2020) that H. porophila and H. occidentalis (of western North America) represent disjunct populations conspecific with the Macaronesian H. suberecta.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Can, FNA2, Il, K4, Mo1, NS, Pa, POWO, Tn, Va; = Lycopodium porophilum F.E.Lloyd & Underw. — C, F, RAB, S13, Sf, W, WV; = n/a — GrPl; < Huperzia suberecta (Lowe) Tardieu — Björk (2020); < Lycopodium selago L. var. patens (P.Beauv.) Desv. — G, misapplied. Basionym: Lycopodium porophilum F.E.Lloyd & Underw. 1900

Links to other floras: = Huperzia porophila - FNA2

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
• Midwest: FACU
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 1