Selaginella trichophylla

Plants terrestrial, evergreen, creeping, 30-50 cm. Rhizophores at intervals throughout length of creeping stem and branches, borne on ventral side in axils of branches. Main stems pinnately branched throughout, stramineous, terete, not sulcate; primary leafy branches 10-15 pairs, once or twice pinnately branched, secondary branches forked or once pinnately branched, tertiary branches forked, branchlets sparse, adjacent primary branches on main stem 2-4 cm apart; leafy portion of main stem including leaves 5-6 mm wide at middle, ultimate branches 2.8-3.2 mm wide including leaves. All leaves spinose on both surfaces. Axillary leaves on branches symmetrical, ovate, 1.2-2.5 × 1-2 mm, base exauriculate, margin ciliolate. Dorsal leaves ± symmetrical, those on main stems slightly larger than those on branches; dorsal leaves on branches contiguous or imbricate, ovate, 1.2-1.8 × 0.5-1 mm, not carinate, base subcordate or obtuse, not peltate, margin ciliolate (more densely ciliolate at base), apex acuminate or shortly aristate. Ventral leaves asymmetrical, those on main stem larger than those on branches; ventral leaves on branches distant, slightly ascending or spreading, ovate-triangular, 2-3.2 × 0.8-1.6 mm, margin denticulate, apex acute; acroscopic base enlarged, broader, overlapping stem and branches, margin denticulate, ciliolate. Strobili solitary, terminal, compact, dorsiventrally complanate, 6.5-10 × 1.2-2.3 mm; sporophylls dimorphic, resupinate, not white-margined; dorsal sporophylls ovate-lanceolate, carinate, margin denticulate, apex acuminate, with sporophyll-pteryx complete and denticulate; ventral sporophylls ovate-lanceolate, carinate, margin denticulate; megasporophylls in basal portion on lower side of strobilus; microsporangia transversely elliptic, rather thin, upper margin cells differentiated; microspores pale yellow, megaspores white-yellow.