ground pine

• ground-pine

ground pine (countable and uncountable, plural ground pines)

1. Any of several plants, none of which are true pines:
   1. Ajuga, a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the mint family Lamiaceae, with most species native to Europe, Asia, and Africa; also, specifically:
      1. Ajuga chamaepitys (yellow bugle), native to Europe, the eastern part of the Mediterranean, and North Africa
   2. Diphasiastrum complanatum (syn. Lycopodium complanatum) (northern running-pine), a species of clubmoss native to dry coniferous forests throughout the holarctic region.
   3. Lycopodium, a genus of clubmosses in the family Lycopodiaceae, a family allied to the ferns, specifically:
      1. Lycopodium obscurum (princess pine), native to eastern North America
      2. Lycopodium clavatum (stag's-horn clubmoss, running clubmoss)