Gen info
- Huperzia is the largest genus in the Lycopodiaceae family, comprising about 300 species, which are difficult to distinguish because of wide plasticity of the characteristics. (5)

Botany
Huperzia carinata is a variable, epiphytic herb, with long, lax, pendulous branches; the narrower forms, slender and snake-like. Roots usually form one basal tuft. Stem is initially erect, becoming pendulous 35 to 50 centimeters by 7-15 millimeters, 1 to 4 times dichotomously branched, pale green. Leaves are subapproximate, spirally whorled in 6 to 8 rows, ascending, sessile; margins entire, apex acute, gray-green to yellowish-green, subcoriaceous, midrib distinct, keeled.. Strobili is terminal, cylindrical, 4 to 8 centimeters by 2.5 to 4 millimeters, distinctly demarcated from the vegetative parts of the stem, no branched. Sporophylls are in four rows, ovate to oblong-subdeltoid, 4 to 5 millimeters long, as broad as the sterile leaves, sharply keeled, acuminate, rather appressed. Sporangium borne at the base of the sporophyll, sessile, reniform, smooth, yellow. Spores are triangular, trilete, 40 µm in diameter, granulated. (5)

• Lycophytes, medium-sized. Stems caespitose, mature branches pendulous, 1 to several times forked, 31-49 cm, branches slightly robust, stem together with leaves cordlike, tertiary branches with leaves more than 2.5 mm in diam., lateral branches unequal. Leaves twisted and forming 2 rows. Trophophylls dense, adnate to branches, much incurved, lustrous, acicular, up to 8 × 4 mm, midrib indistinct, hard, raised abaxially and keeled, base cuneate, decurrent, sessile, margin entire, apex acuminate, substraight, opening outside. Strobili terminal on branches, ca. 3 mm in diam. Sporophylls ovate, midrib indistinct, base cuneate, margin entire, apex acute, with mucro. Sporangia hidden inside of sporophylls, indistinct, yellowish, reniform, vertically bisected. (Flora of China)

Distribution
- Native to the Philippines.
- Found in primary forests.
- Occasionally cultivated in gardens.
- Also native to Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Cook Is., Fiji, Malaya, Nansei-shoto, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Nicobar Is., Philippines, Queensland, Samoa, Santa Cruz Is., Solomon Is., Sulawesi, Sumatera, Taiwan, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis-Futuna Is. (1)

Constituents
- Study isolated three new Lycopodium alkaloids, carinatumins A-C (1-3) from the club moss, Lycopodium carinatum. (see study below) (2)
- Study of dried and powdered methanol extract of L. carinatum and fraction yielded new lycopodine-type alkaloids, lycopocarinamines A-F. (3)
- A methanol extract of H. carinata yielded 8,15-dihydrohuperzine A (2) and lycocarinatine A (3), along with nine known alkaloids including huperzine A (1), 12-epilycodine N-oxide (3), lycodoline (5), gnidioidine (6), lycoposerramin K (7), fawcettimine (8), and phlegmariurine B (9). ( see study below) (6)

Properties
- Studies have suggest cholinesterase inhibiting and memory enhancing properties.

Uses
Folkloric
- In South-East Asia, whole plant extract or ointment formulation used for washing the hair to stimulate hair growth. (5)
Others
- Ornamental: Usually grown as an ornamental; suitable for hanging baskets.

Studies
• Carinatumins / Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition: Study of club moss, Lycopodium carinatum isolated three new Lycopodium alkaloids, carinatumins A-C (1-3). Carinatumins A (1) and B (2) exhibited potent inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase. (2)
• Huperzine A / Anticholinesterase: Studies have isolated chemical compounds huperzine A, lycodoline, lucidioline and lycopodine from H. carinata. Huperine A has demonstrated anticholinesterase activity and has shown effects in behavior tests appraising animal learning and improving memory function in humans. It has been approved by the Chinese Community for treatment of senile dementia and age-related memory impairment. (5)
• Alkaloids / Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activity: Study of a methanol extract yielded - A methanol extract of 8,15-dihydrohuperzine A (2) and lycocarinatine A (3), along with nine known alkaloids. 12-Epilycodine N-oxide (4), 8,15-dihydrohuperzine A (2), and gnidioidine (6) showed the most potent inhibitory activity against AChE with IC50s of 0.591, 2.626, and 3.442 µM, respectively. (see constituents above) (6)

Availability
Wild-crafted.

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Huperzia carinata / Synonyms / KEW: Plants of the World Online
(2)
Carinatumins A-C, new alkaloids from Lycopodium carinatum inhibiting acetylcholinesterase. / Choo CY, Hirasawa Y, Karimata C, Koyama K, Sekiguchi M, Kobayashi J, Morita H / Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 15 Dec 2006; 15(4): pp 1703-1707 / DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2006.12.005 /  PMID: 17188496
(3)  
New Lycopodine-Type Alkaloids from Lycopodium carinatum / Noriyuki Kogure, Moe Maruyama, Sumphan Wongseripipatana, Mariko Kitajima, and Hiromitsu Takayama / Chem. Pharm. Bull., 2016; 64: pp 793–799
(4)
Huperzine alkaloids from Australasian and southeast Asian Huperzia / Wei-Han Lim, Jason Q.D. Goodger, Ashley R. Field, Joseph A.M. Holtum, and Ian E. Woodrow / Pharmaceutical Biology, 2010; 48(9): pp 1073–1078
(5)
Huperzia carinata (PROSEA) / Plant Resources of South-East Asia /Pl@ntUse
(6)
Three new Lycopodium alkaloids from Huperzia carinata and Huperzia squarrosa / Sakornrat Thorroad, Prateep Worawittayanont et al / Tetrahedron, 2014; 70: pp 8017-8022

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