Steinmetz:Lycopodium

Lycopodium clavatum (and other species)

Also known as (or relevant to) Lycopodium clavatum (and other species) Family Lycopodiaceae English Names Club Moss Wolf's claw Vegetable Sulphur Creeping Jennie Natural Habitat Europe (especially Russia) Finland Asia North America China Japan all over the world Part(s) Used Herba Lycopodii = Herba Musci clavati Semen Lycopodii = Sulphur vegetabile (the spores)

Constituent(s) herb: lycopodin fatty oil acids gum resin; seed (the spores): fixed oil (containing alumina and phosphoric acid) cane sugar methylamine sporonin acids gum resin Action herb: laxative diuretic carminative emmenagogue; seed (the spores of the fresh plant): antispasmodic diuretic The spores must be triturated before its properties are released. As a dusting powder for skin diseases and skin eruptions the seeds are most helpful. The seeds are also used to make artificial lightning in theatres and firework