Diphasium scariosum
Common names
creeping clubmoss
Biostatus
Native
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Lycophytes (clubmosses, selaginella, quillworts)
Flower colours
No flowers
Detailed description
Main stems prostrate, creeping to 1 m or more long, with scattered appressed scale-like leaves. Branchlets spreading to ascending (up to 0.5 m tall), dorsiventral, much-branched. Sterile leaves dimorphic, yellowish-green; upper leaves in 2 alternating rows flattened in 1 plane, firm to rigid, decurrent, 3–5 mm long × 1.0–1.5 mm wide ovate to lanceolate often falcate; leaves of undersurface in 2 rows, up to 0.2 mm long, scale-like, with translucent membranous obtuse usually dilated tips. Strobili erect, terminal, 10-50 mm long, orange-brown, mostly solitary, rarely paired. Sporophylls imbricate, subpeltate, ovate-saggitate, stramineous, with translucent membranous tips. (Description adapted from Chinnock (1998) and Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000)).
Similar taxa
The yellow-green colour, flattened leaves and mostly solitary, stalked strobili serve to distinguish this species from all other representatives of the family in New Zealand. Diphasium scariosum is perhaps most similar to reduced states of Pseudodiphasium volubile from which it differs by the smaller stem and branch leaves being confined to the lower surface of stems and by the erect, solitary (rarely paired) rather than clustered and pendulous strobili.
Distribution
Indigenous. New Zealand: North Island (from near Mangamuka south but scarce in Northland), South Island, Stewart Island/Rakiura, Chatham Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Campbell Island/Motu Ihupuku. Also Australia, Philipines, Borneo and New Guinea.
Habitat
Coastal to subalpine (mostly montane in the northern North island). A species of open habitats such as mossy roadside banks, stream banks, shrubland, and peaty ground (rarely restiad bog).
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Detailed taxonomy
Genus
Family
Synonyms
Lycopodium scariosum G.Forst.; Lycopodium scariosum var. decurrens (R.Br.) Hook.; Lycopodium distans Colenso; Lycopodium lessonianum A.Rich.; Stachygynandrum scariosum (G.Forst.) P.Beauv.; Diphasium decurrens (R.Br.) Holub; Lycopodium decurrens R.Br.
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
N.A.
Fruiting
N.A.
Propagation technique
Difficult. Should not be removed from the wild.
Other information
Where To Buy
Not commercially available.
Etymology
scariosum: Thin a dry; from the Latin scariosus; general appearance
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
LYCSCA
Chromosome number
2n = 60
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
Otago: 2024 | Regionally Not Threatened
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Auckland: 2025 | Regionally Not Threatened | Qualifiers: DPS, DPT
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Auckland conservation status information is sourced from the “Conservation status of vascular plant species in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland” Simpkins E et al. (2025) report.
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Brownsey PJ, Smith-Dodsworth JC. 2000. New Zealand Ferns and Allied Plants. David Bateman, Auckland, NZ. 168 p.
Chinnock RJ. 1998. Lycopodiaceae. Flora of Australia 48, Ferns Gymnosperms and allied groups: 66–85. ABRS/CSIRO Victoria, Australia.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared for NZPCN by P.J. de Lange 20 March 2011. Description adapted from Chinnock (1998) and Brownsey & Smith-Dodsworth (2000).