1 Vegetative branchlets strongly ascending; strobili usually 1 or 2, borne sessile to, or with a very short peduncle above, a leafy stem; [ne. PA northwards]

1 Vegetative branchlets spreading to somewhat ascending; strobili usually 3 or 4, borne on a remotely-bracted peduncle; [collectively widespread in our area].

  2 Foliage green or yellow-green, not bluish; sterile branchlets 2-4 mm wide (including the leaves); sterile branchlets either with or without conspicuous annual constrictions; rhizomes 0-1 cm deep (which can be determined by pulling up a single upright shoot – the depth to rhizome is approximately the length of the white portion of the vertical stem); abaxial rank of leaves on horizontal branchlets shorter than the lateral ranks (thus the branchlets flattened in cross-section).

    3 Strobili mostly 10-25 mm long, lacking sterile tips, borne on very slender stalks becoming stramineous in color prior to spore release; sterile branchlets with conspicuous annual constrictions; sterile branchlets usually arrayed in an irregular, "messy", and 3-D "fan"; [n. PA (?) and Sullivan County, NY northward]

    3 Strobili mostly 20-40 mm long, often bearing sterile tips, borne on relatively thicker stalks remaining green until after spore release; sterile branchlets without conspicuous annual constrictions; sterile branchlets arrayed in a neatly organized, flat fan; [widespread in our region, south to e. SC, c. GA, sw. GA, s. AL, c. MS, and s. AR]