A Lycopodium is a type of club moss—a division of ferns. They have horizontal branching stems, either above or below ground. Depending on the species, they send up tall shoots, ranging from around a half inch to a foot tall. They are an old group: About 200 to 250 million years ago, swampy forests of the northern hemisphere included a now extinct species of the club moss family—one that grew up to 100 feet (30 meters) in height. They were once used as flash powder for stage performances. Herbally, Native Americans used the tea as an analgesic to relieve pain after childbirth; more recently, the spores have been used for rashes.