Lycopodium clavatum line drawing. © P. Kenrick, P. R. Crane
- Plant with horizontally branched, creeping main stem giving rise to occasional long slender upright shoots (8-15cm tall) that bear 1-3 pale yellow terminal cones (1.5-3.0cm long).
- Leaves are small and bristle-like tapering to a narrow, hair-like tip. They are pale yellow to green.
- Cones have scales each bearing a single kidney-shaped spore sack.
- The long, slender, upright cone-bearing branches and the fine hair-like tip to the leaves distinguish this species from other close relatives in the UK.