Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species in Species Plantarum, edition 1, p. 1104. as Lycopodium complanatum
1975: In Preslia 47:104, Holub created the genus Diphasiastrum. On p. 108 of that publication, he placed Lycopodium complanatum in that genus.
today: The current name for this species is Diphasiastrum complanatum (L.) Holub.
original Latin diagnosis
Lycopodium foliis bifariis connatis, superficialibus solitariis, spicis geminis pedunculatis.
English translation
Lycopodium with leaves two-ranked [and] connate; with the upper surfaces one; with spikes [i.e., strobili] paired [and] pedunculate.
| Lycopodium | Lycopodium |
| with leaves | foliis - ablative plural of 2nd declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| two-ranked | bifariis - combining form of bi- [Greek] plus ablative plural neuter of group A adjective -farius, -a, -um; modifies foliis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| connate; | connatis - ablative plural neuter of perfect passive participle of 3rd conjugation verb connascor, ---, connasci, connatus; modifies foliis |
| with upper surfaces | superficialibus - ablative plural of 5th declension neuter noun superficialis, superficialis [Question: Should this have been superficiebus?] |
| one; | solitariis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective solitarius, -a, -um; modifies superficialibus [Note: possible intent is that the upper surfaces of the branches are all in one plane?] |
| with spikes [i.e., strobili] | spicis - ablative plural of 1st declension feminine noun spica, -ae |
| paired | geminis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective geminus, -a, -um; modifies spicis |
| [and] | [added for smoother reading] |
| pedunculate. | pedunculatis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective pedunculatus, -a, -um; modifies spicis |