Selaginella - Selaginellaceae

Selaginella molliceps Spring

 

 

 

 

Synonyms

Selaginella molliceps Spring. var. major A.Braun ex Hieron.
Lycopodioides molliceps (Spring.) Kuntze
Stachygynandrum rubricaule (R.Sim) Carruth
Selaginella rubricaulis R.Sim var. angolensis A.Braun ex Kuhn
Selaginella rubricaulis Hort.

Common name

Description

Plant suberect, up to 20 cm tall; stems sometimes reddish and fleshy in life but pale yellow when dry, branched from the base and bearing roots from the lower third. Leaves dimorphic, dark green and said to have metallic reflections ventrally; lateral leaves ovate-oblong in outline, apex pointed, base unequal, 2.5–3 x 1–1.3 mm; median leaves elliptic-lanceolate in outline, slightly curved, apex with a narrow bristle-like point 1/4–1/3 (–1/2) of the lamina, base subtruncate, margin minutely ciliate or toothed, 1.2–1.9 x 0.6–0.7 mm. Strobili ± 5 x 2.5 mm; sporophylls dimorphic, dorsal green, oblong, often rounded at apex, serrulate or finely ciliolate, carinate, the keel hyaline ciliolate, 1.3–1.4 x 0.8–0.9 mm; ventral hyaline, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate-aristate at the apex, ciliolate, 1–1.2 x 0.5–0.6 mm.

Notes

Derivation

Habitat

Escarpment rocks above Euphorbia zone; edges of ditches or epiphytes, in primary forest; ? swamp forest.

Distribution worldwide

Africa, Comores, Principe, São Tomé.

Distribution in Africa

Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Dem. Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea (incl. Bioko), Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Togo, Uganda.

Growth form

Epiphytic, terrestrial.

Literature

  • Bizzarri, M.P. (1985) Selaginellaceae.Flore d' Afrique Centrale, Pages 49 - 51.
  • Roux, J.P. (2009) Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands. Strelitzia 23, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. Page 25.
  • Tardieu-Blot, M.-L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.3.Flore du Cameroun, Pages 41 - 42. (Includes a picture).
  • Thardieu-Blot, M.L. (1964) Ptéridophytes vol.8.Flore du Gabon, Pages 24 - 25. (Includes a picture).
  • Verdcourt, B. (2005) Selaginellaceae.Flora of Tropical East Africa, Pages 21 - 22. (Includes a picture).
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