noun
- A group of vascular plants with small, simple leaves that reproduce by spores; includes club mosses and quillworts, many of which are extinct.
Usage: plural of lycopsid; botanical/scientific term; also called lycopods
Examples
- Lycopsids were among the earliest vascular plants to evolve on Earth.
- During the Carboniferous period, giant lycopsids dominated many ancient forests.
- Modern lycopsids are much smaller than their prehistoric ancestors.
- Club mosses are the most common living lycopsids today.
- Paleontologists study fossilized lycopsids to understand early plant evolution.