My research indicates that this is lycopodium but which of those would it be? I have found photos of similar plants but none quite like this or with this 'Chinese Lantern" that later resembles a cork-like smoker's pipe.
Nope, this is a moss. Polytrichum, most likely (a group called the hair-cap mosses - you can see the nascent hairy cap (or hairy calyptra) in the first photograph). Without a specimen in hand, difficult to identify to species. In the second photograph, of last year's sporophytes, the protective calyptra (cap) has fallen off. In general, Lycopodium will be larger and more robust in comparison to any moss. The strobili of Lycopodium are also fairly distinctive compared to the sporophytes of mosses.
Thank you so much. I took your assessment and following it led me to believe it is Polytrichum commune (Common Haircap Moss).
