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Lycophyte
Lycophyte
Lycopodiopsida
Nomenclature
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Kingdom: PlantaeDivision: Pteridophyta
Class:
Lycopodiopsida
SUMMARY
The Lycopodiopsida are a class of plants often loosely grouped as the fern allies. Traditionally, the group included not only the clubmosses and firmosses, but also the spikemosses (Selaginella and relatives) and the quillworts (Isoetes and relatives). However, the latter are now usually placed into a separate class, Isoetopsida.
Clubmosses are thought to be structurally similar to the earliest vascular plants, with small, scale-like leaves, homosporous spores borne in sporangia at the bases of the leaves, branching stems (usually dichotomous), and generally simple form.
The class Lycopodiopsida as interpreted here contains a single living order, the Lycopodiales, and a single extinct order, the Drepanophycales.