Lycopodium clavatum

Native across the temperate Northern Hemisphere and tropical mountains, this evergreen lycophyte is a perennial herb. Creeping stems produce upright, branching shoots that rise about six to eight inches. It is a spore-producing vascular plant rather than a flowering plant, with elongated reproductive cones borne above the leafy shoots. The species occurs in open forests, on road banks, and in mountain habitats, often on acidic ground. Photographed in Colombia.