Among the hundreds of plants growing on our planet, there are tall giants, there are extraordinary beauties that everyone admires, and there are completely inconspicuous, modestly spreading on the ground. Few people notice them under their feet. But among such plants there are unique and very useful species. Plaun is one of them. These plants appeared long before the dinosaurs, but then they were the height of a multi-storey building. Today, club mosses can stretch up only 30-50 cm, but their stems reach 50 m or more in length. What are they? How do they live? What are the benefits?
Etymology of the name
In Russian, the plant was called a club moss for the feature of growth. Its stems, creeping along the ground, constantly give growth, moving further and further from the starting point. At the same time, the old part gradually dies off and dries up, and the young stems grow further. It seems that the plant flows from one place to another. In the scientific world, his name is lycopodium, which can be translated from Greek as "wolf's paw." In different regions, people call him a potter and a bulan (becauseclub mosses are used in metallurgy), greenery (because it is green in winter and summer), tramp (because it spreads underfoot), sorcerer (because magical properties are attributed to it).
Distribution area
This plant is cosmopolitan. Various types of club mosses can be seen on all continents. Only in Antarctica so far they are not. These modest plants feel great both in the frosty Arctic and in the sultry tropics. They exist in the temperate zone, in the tundra, in Western and Eastern Siberia, in the Mediterranean, in the Far East, in many states of America (Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa), in New Zealand, in the foothills of the Cordillera, in the forests of Europe, in Scandinavia.
In nature, club mosses prefer coniferous forests, mainly pine forests, as they have more light. However, they can also be found in deciduous massifs, on the plains and in the foothills, in the subalpine belt and in the mountain forest. Often they are observed at an altitude of more than 2000 meters.
General Description
All representatives of club mosses are members of the family of club mosses. They are evergreen perennials that form spores. More famous among such plant forms are ferns, the flower of which was so dreamed of finding in the old days, desperate romantics. We now know that spore plants do not flower. This fully applies to club mosses.
The appearance of its various species may vary somewhat, but in general it can be said that they all form stems that creep along the ground and extend quite far from the mother root. On the entire length of the stem, club mosses form lateralshoots, which some people call twigs. They grow vertically upwards. The height of the "branches" are different (from 15 to 50 cm). Also, roots are formed on the stems at certain intervals.
There are mosquitoes that climb tree trunks, hanging down a lace of side stems. However, they are not parasitic plants, because they use trees only as a support.
The leaves of different types of club mosses are different. In some, they resemble green scales, in others - non-thorny spikes, in others - small needles (like in spruces, only soft and tender). There are species with linear leaves, lanceolate, flat, cylindrical.
Many club mosses are venomous and should be handled with care.
Witch Circles
The root system of club mosses is well developed, but it cannot be called powerful. Most species have 2-4 main roots, rarely exceeding 50 cm in length. 11-12 thin roots extend from them, as well as from the base of the stem.
Most representatives of club mosses grow in such a way that they move from the maternal root in one direction with a solid green carpet. But there are also species that grow in different directions, leaving the maternal root in the center. The life of the regrown parts of the plant is about five years, after which they die and dry out.
If the club moss grows in all directions, dying off begins in the center of such a green meadow. Gradually, the dry spot increases in diameter, forming a kind of circle. At its center, you cansee the earth and dead stems, and around the circumference - green shoots full of life. Previously, people believed that in the place of such circles, evil forces come to the surface from the earth, and they tried to bypass them by the tenth road. The people dubbed them "witch circles" (rings), and the clown - a sorcerer. Note that many mushrooms form the same mystical circles - talkers, fly agaric, champignons, morels. In diameter, they can reach from 40 to 200 meters.
Club-shaped club moss
To date, 70 species of club mosses have been described (according to other sources - about 600). Of these, about 20 species grow in Russia. The most widespread is club-shaped club moss, the gametophyte of which develops up to 20 years. Recall that the gametophyte is the multicellular phase of some plants that forms germ cells.
The club club was named because at the ends of its shoots there are thickenings resembling a mace. They are especially noticeable during the dormant period (in winter). The club-shaped club has strongly branching stems, on which vertical shoots grow up to half a meter high. The leaves of representatives of this species are small needle-like, which makes its shoots look like spruce branches. Spore-bearing spikelets are located at the ends of the shoots on very thin legs. In the sun, spores ripen in July, and in the shade - closer to September.
Sheep clubfish
This very winter-hardy species is distributed throughout almost the entire territory of the Russian Federation (with the exception of the Crimea). His stem is recumbent. Up from it canseveral shoots rise at once, densely covered with hard multi-row leaves. They are narrow, pointed, directed upwards. The annual growth of the sheep is very small - only up to 4 cm. It does not form spore-bearing spikelets. Its spores are located directly in the axils of the leaves. In some plants, they are replaced by viviparous buds.
Flattened club moss
This plant can also be seen throughout Russia. The side shoots of this species of club moss are a bit like thuja branches. From the stem, they grow like a fan, with all shoots located in the same plane. Its leaves are pointed at the end, have a scaly shape. At the ends of some shoots, 3-4 spore-bearing spikelets are formed. A feature of this species is that its stems lie in the ground at a depth of up to 15 cm, which makes them look like real roots.
Ploun annual
This plant is found in Ciscaucasia, in Eastern and Western Siberia, in Transcaucasia, in the Arctic, in the European part of Russia, in the Far East. This type of club moss prefers mossy damp forests, swampy birch forests, and in mountainous areas it rises to the upper belt.
From its creeping and well-rooted stem, shoots 10-30 cm high extend upwards. They are covered with needle leaves, flat, pointed, slightly curved down.
Club dark (dull)
Outwardly, this plant is very similar to tiny Christmas trees, as its stems are hidden in the ground, and only single side shoots are visible on the surface. Each such "stalk" rises up by 30-40 cm. It is crowned with one spore-bearing spikelet, vaguely resembling the inflorescences of some conifers. From it depart to the sides, like twigs, thinner shoots covered with needle-like leaves. In Russia, this species is found in the Far East.
Reproduction of club mosses
Because these plants do not form flowers, they have developed other breeding methods that have allowed them to survive to this day and thrive, despite the abundance of more highly organized angiosperms in the neighborhood. Club mosses and horsetails are very ancient vascular plants that reproduce by spores. In addition, they are able to reproduce vegetatively - by pieces of stems and viviparous buds, which, once on wet ground, form roots and give life to a new individual.
Reproduction by spores is called sexual. Note that to describe this process in spore-bearing plants, including club mosses, terms that are somewhat complicated for those far from human biology are used. Consider what they mean:
- Strobili (for simplicity they are called spore spikelets) are transformed shoots on which sporangia are located.
- Sporangia are spore-producing organs.
- Gametes are cells involved in sexual reproduction.
- Sporophyte is a plant that produces spores.
- Gametophyte - haploid phase, gametes are produced. In this phase, many cells are formed, but they all have the same (haploid) set of chromosomes. Simply put, a gametophyte is a plantwhich forms germ cells.
- Antheridia are male cells (contain spermatozoa).
- Archegonia - female cells (contain eggs).
Now you can easily understand how the sexual reproduction of club mosses occurs. At the first stage, they are all sporophytes. At the same time, strobili are formed on many vertical shoots of club mosses, containing many sporangia. Hundreds of thousands of microscopic spores ripen in them. In most species, they are round and covered with two shells.
When the sporangia burst, unusually light spores fly around and at some point fall to the ground. Under favorable conditions, they germinate. Incredibly slowly from each develops a tiny plant - a gametophyte. Many types of clubmosses take 20 years to do this!
Gametophytes are similar to small mushrooms with a cap diameter of up to 30 mm. They have rhizoids (filamentous processes that act as roots), but no leaves or stems.
For spore plants, it is very important that the gametophytes simultaneously contain both archegonia and antheridia, which gradually mature. When they are ready to fuse, the archegonia release citric acid. Scientists suggest that this substance activates the movement of spermatozoa to them. Most club mosses require a minimum amount of water to reach their target. When merged, an embryo is formed - a small sporophyte. At first, it exists due to the nutrients of the gametophyte, but soon it takes root and begins an independent long life.life.
Meaning of clowns
These modest plants, because they are poisonous, animals do not eat. Only slugs and snails can eat them. However, for humans, club mosses are extremely important. Almost all species growing in Russia are used in medicine. Club-shaped club moss has found especially widespread use. About two dozen useful substances were found in this plant, including fatty oil (up to 50%), alkaloids, carotene, lutein, steroids, lipids, fatty acids, nicotine, phenylcarboxylic acids, sucrose, carbohydrates and others.
In official medicine, spores of club mosses are used. They are used to make baby powder, they are sprinkled with tablets, they are part of the drug "Akofit" (used for sciatica).
Folk healers use spores, stems and side shoots of club mosses. With the help of these plants, more than fifty diseases of the internal organs, skin, nervous system, including enuresis, gastritis, nephritis, cystitis, diarrhea, gout, eczema, diathesis, varicose veins, hypertension, gout, hemorrhoids, pneumonia, rickets and many others are treated.
Metallurgy also uses mosquito spores. They are poured into molds during shaped casting.
Pyrotechnicians use spores to make sparklers, all kinds of fireworks.
Spores have also been used in veterinary medicine as a wound healing, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic agent.
Harvest spores in the second half of summer. To do this, cut the strobili very carefully and put them in a cloth bag. At home they shake out disputes anddry in a place where there is not the slightest breeze or draft.
