Lycopodium clavatum Linn.

Fam : Lycopodiaceae
(Pteridophyta)

Ayurvedic name Nabbeli

Unani name ------
Hindi name Nagbeli
English name Common Club Moss
Trade name Lycopodium, Common Club moss
Parts used Spores and herb
Lycopodium clavatum Linn.

Morphological characteristics flowers. It has two phases in the life cycle

i.e. sporophytic and gametophytic phases.
The plant has creeping stem with erect tips. The plant bearing strobilus is the
Stems are dichotomously branched, one of sporophytic phase of the life cycle.
the branches remains small and the other Strobilus bears spirally arranged
grows to a greater length. Smaller and erect sporophylls with sporangium which
branches bear cone or strobili at the tips produces numerous spores. The spores
containing spores. The old main axis or the come out from the sporangium and
rhizome remains completely or partially germinate in the soil to form a small top
subterranean. Stems are densely covered shaped prothallus. This is the
with small moss like leaves that are spirally gametophytic phase of the life cycle.
arranged and 4.0-6.0 mm long. Leaves are
simple, sessile, with serrate margins, Strobilus:
pointed tip and single median vein. Leaves
These are distinct, yellowish to cream in
are also called microphylls. Fertile or
color when mature, 2.5-5.0 cm long,
strobilus bearing branches bear scale like
compact and are borne at the tips of special
yellowish green leaves while the sterile
erect shoots. The sporophylls possess a
branches bear linear green leaves. Basal
small flange on ventral side. It protects the
surface of creeping stems bear dichotomously
sporangium. Sporangium arises on the
branched and thin adventitious roots
dorsal (adaxial) surface of the sporophylls
abounds all along its length.
(foliar or epiphyllous condition).
Floral Characteristics Sporangia are yellowish orange in colour
and about 2.0 mm long. When spores
This plant belongs to a lower group under become mature, central axis of strobili
phylum Pteridophyta and does not bear
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Agro-techniques of Selected Medicinal Plants: Volume - III
 elongates. As a result the sporophylls fertilization forming oospore. Oospore is
spread out exposing the sporangia. The converted into embryo by cell division
exposed sporangia become dry. Later on which later becomes young plant. This
sporangial wall splits and disseminate the development is very slow and the young
spores. plant (sporophyte) depends for years
together on the subterranean prothallus
Spores: (gametophyte) for nutrition. It takes many
These are light yellow in color, homosporous, years to come above ground and become
unicellular with single nucleus, filled with independent.
oil and fat, 0.03 mm in diameter,
Distribution
tetrahedral in shape with a rounded or
semicircular base, spores posses triradiate Plant is usually found in the temperate
ridges and reticulate ornamentation on the regions, particularly in Himalayas in the
surface. moist shaded woodlands, open thickets,
rocky slopes, pine forests and mixed
Germination of Spores: woods between 2000-3000 m msl.
Spores take about 3-8 years to germinate.
Climate and Soil
They germinate under moist conditions to
form prothallus with the help of specific Plants grow well in cold, moist and shady
endophytic fungus. In the absence of this areas, where the soil is loose, acidic with
fungus, prothallus does not develop and good depth of humus.
die.
Propagation Material
Prothallus:
Plant may be grown from spores or
It is top shaped, tuberous, yellowish brown vegetatively propagated by rhizomes.
in colour and about 15 mm long. It has two Spores take long time (3-8 years) to
distinct zones (i) lower conical region germinate into prothallus and few years to
bearing numerous rhizoides and (ii) upper form a new plant while through rooted
broad generative region several rhizome cuttings plants may be multiplied
archegonia on the margins and antheridia quickly.
on the center. Antheridia produce
biflagellate spermatozoites, which in Agro-technique10
presence of water droplets, swim and reach Nursery Technique
the archegonial neck. Only one
spermatozoid reaches the egg and effect
10
Agro-technique study carried out by Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow
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Agro-techniques of Selected Medicinal Plants: Volume - III
Raising Propagules: conditions are not provided immediately
after planting. Therefore, during and after
The plant is moisture-loving, so rhizome planting, field should have good amount of
cuttings should be planted during rainy moisture. However, water logging has
season for their better survival. Rhizome been found to be harmful for the plants.
pieces should be of 15 cm long with several The plants of Lycopodium do not survive in
roots. They should be just buried (< 1 cm subtropical conditions even in glass house.
deep) under the soil. Therefore, plants should be grown in high
Propagule Rate: altitudes, in shades where natural moisture
is available in plenty.
Plants are prostrate and slow growing.
However, enough space should be Ÿ Transplanting and Optimum
provided between the plants for their Spacing:
proper growth. Rooted rhizomes of 15 cm Rooted rhizomes of approximately 125
long should be planted at 45cm apart from cm in length are suitable for planting.
each other in rows and the rows should be There should be at least 45 cm space
at least 45 cm apart. Approximately both between the rhizome cuttings and
1,20,000 rhizomes could be between the rows for their optimum
accommodated in one ha of land. For growth.
planting the crop in one hectare of land
approximately 50 kg of rooted rhizomes is
required. This has to be collected from the
wild (temperate hills).

Planting in the Field

Land Preparation and Manure
Application:
Loose, humus rich soils are best suited for
good growth of this plant. They take longer
time to establish in freshly prepared fields. Plant established in the field.
Therefore, before putting the rhizome
Ÿ Intercropping System:
cuttings, soil of the fields should be
properly loosened and mixed well with Plants are prostrate, perennial, slow
decomposed Farm Yard Manure @ 25 t/ha growing and require cool, moist and
for their proper growth. Rhizome cuttings shady conditions. Therefore, it should
perish quickly if proper moisture

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Agro-techniques of Selected Medicinal Plants: Volume - III
 be grown under the orchards of small Ÿ Disease and Pest Control:
temperate fruit trees (e.g. Apple, Pear,
Diseases are generally not observed
Apricot, Peach, Cherry etc.)
field condition. However, it has been
Ÿ Interculture and Maintenance observed that, Plant growing in soils
Practices: having less organic matter, becomes
yellowish in colour.
Plants are slow growing, prostrate,
require organic manure and do not Harvest Management
tolerate dryness, therefore, regular
watering and weeding is required. Well Ÿ Crop Maturity and Harvesting:
decomposed powdered Farm Yard Plants grown from rhizome cuttings
Manure or vermi-compost should also remain vegetative for long time.It
be added to the soil time to time. produces strobili, the spore producing
Ÿ Irrigation Practices: organ, after 4-6 years of planting.

Plants grow profusely in cool, moist and Ÿ Post-harvest Management:

shady conditions of high altitudes. The most efficient and least destructive
Therefore, they should be grown in way to harvest is by clipping the mature
such conditions for their better survival aerial part of the plant near the base of
and good growth. In relatively dry the stem with some sharp instruments
places, plants require irrigation almost preferably with secateurs. Plants should
daily. Irrigation with sprinkler was not be pulled from the ground.
found to be most useful. However, Rhizomes should be allowed to remain
flooding or water logging in the field undisturbed in its position on the
during irrigation should be avoided. ground for future growth and
Care must be taken so that the fields harvesting. Strobili should be separated
remain always moist. carefully from the plant without
Ÿ Weed Control: dispersing the spores. Strobili and aerial
parts are dried separately in shade.
Initially after planting, hand weeding is Strobili should be dried in paper bags; it
required at every 15-20 days. Later as takes about one week to dry properly.
the plant proliferates and forms a dense However, vegetative parts take about
mat, hand weeding may be reduced two weeks for drying.
after 30-45 days depending upon the
weed conditions.

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Ÿ Chemical Constituents: In homoeopathy, the herb is used in the
disorders of chest and urinary passage,
It contains fatty oil (40-50%), a
in rheumatism, cramps and varices,
complex high polymeric carbohydrate
antiseptic, in diseases of lungs and
sporonin, sucrose, a protamine,
kidneys.
hydrocaffeic acid an alkaloids (0.12%)
of which lycopodine is major
constituent and the other alkaloids are
clavatin and clavatoxine.
Ÿ Yield:

In suitable conditions plants yield about

2.4 -2.9 t/ha fresh herb.

Therapeutic Uses
Spores are used as dusting powder and
absorbent in excoriations of skin; also
as a base for medicated snuff and
covering for pills to prevent adhesion. Lycopodium clavatum in Pot

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Agro-techniques of Selected Medicinal Plants: Volume - III