Selaginellaceae of China

Online resources for the Taxonomy of Asian Selaginella

Selaginella drepanophylla

General description: 

Plants epilithic, evergreen, prostrate, 5-15 cm. Rhizophores at intervals throughout length of main stem, borne on ventral side in axils of branches. Main stems branched throughout, stramineous, ca. 0.2 mm in diam. in lower part, subquadrangular, sulcate; primary leafy branches 3-5 pairs, once or twice forked, branchlets sparse, adjacent primary branches on main stem 1-1.5 cm apart; leafy portion of main stem including leaves 3.5-4.5 mm wide at middle, ultimate branches 3.5-5 mm wide including leaves. Axillary leaves on main stems obviously asymmetrical, linear-lanceolate, 1.4-1.9 × 0.5-0.8 mm, base exauriculate, margin ciliolate in basal half, elsewhere subentire. Dorsal leaves on branches approximate or contiguous, ovate-lanceolate, 0.8-1.1 × 0.2-0.7 mm, not carinate, base cuneate or obtuse, margin sparsely ciliolate, apex acuminate, often reflexed. Ventral leaves asymmetrical; ventral leaves on branches spreading or deflexed, oblong-falcate, 1.8-2.4 × 0.8-1.4 mm, apex subacute; basiscopic margin subentire, very shortly ciliolate at base, elsewhere denticulate or subentire; acroscopic base enlarged, broader, not overlapping or overlapping stem and branches, margin sparsely long ciliolate at base, elsewhere denticulate, cilia 0.4-0.6 mm. Strobili solitary, terminal, compact, dorsiventrally complanate, 3-7 × 2.5-3.5 mm; sporophylls dimorphic, resupinate, shortly ciliolate, white-margined; dorsal sporophylls with sporophyll-pteryx incomplete and denticulate; megasporophylls in basal portion of lower side of strobilus.

Distribution: 

Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan.

Habitat: 

At mouths of caves on rocky cliffs, on shaded rocks, on tree trunks; 600-800 m.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith