Huperzia selago (L.) Bernh. ex Schrank & Mart.
Northern firmoss, fir clubmoss
Northern firmoss is a North American native. The genus Huperzia is named for a German horticulturalist, Johann Peter Huperz; selago derives from Greek, meaning “flashing.”
Identification: It is easy to overlook these diminutive plants, poking through forest litter. They grow horizontally under the old leaves, producing erect columns less than 4″ (10 cm) high, in small clusters or rows. Each column is covered with tiny leaflets ⅛–¼ ⨉ ~⅛″ (5–7.5 ⨉ 3.5–4 mm). Each leaflet is shaped like a narrow triangle; those near the bottom are somewhat wider. Leaflets are smooth, shiny, and dark green, with edges that are smooth or sometimes slightly serrated. With magnification, you can see stomates on the leaf surfaces.
Habitats: Sandy pits, ditches, along lakeshores, heathlan,d and in conifer swamps. In the northeastern United States, it is found in boreal habitat, but not alpine zones.
Online References:
7/22/2012 · Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock, Peterborough, New Hampshire · ≈ 5 × 7″ (13 × 17 cm) 
7/22/2012 · Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock, Peterborough, New Hampshire · ≈ 7 × 9″ (18 × 23 cm) 
9/26/2011 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 12″ (23 × 29 cm) 
ID is uncertain 
8/16/2015 · Table Rock Hike, Appalacian Trail, Grafton Notch State Park · ≈ 7 × 7″ (16 × 18 cm) 
8/16/2015 · Table Rock Hike, Appalacian Trail, Grafton Notch State Park · ≈ 7 × 7″ (17 × 18 cm) 
7/22/2012 · Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock, Peterborough, New Hampshire · ≈ 6 × 8″ (14 × 20 cm) 
The red berries are Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense.). · 9/26/2011 · Pearl Hill State Park, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 10″ (20 × 26 cm) ID is uncertain 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Lycopodiophyta | Ancient plants that have only a single vein per leaf, limiting size |
| Class | Lycopodiopsida | “Fern allies”—clubmosses and firmosses |
| Order | Lycopodiales | Lycopodiums |
| Family | Lycopodiaceae | Lycopodiums, clubmosses |
| Genus | Huperzia | Firmosses or fir clubmosses; named fro German fern horticulturist Johann Peter Huperz |
| Species | selago | From Greek selagh (selage), “flashing” |
Huperzia selago description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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