Selaginella sinensis (Desvaux) Spring

Plants terrestrial, xerophytic, seasonally green, creeping, 15-45 cm or more. Rhizophores at intervals throughout length of main stem, on ventral side in axils of branches. Main stems branched throughout, pinnately branched, stramineous, 0.4-0.6 mm in diam. in lower part, terete; primary leafy branches many, up to 10-20, 1-3 times forked, secondary branches once or twice forked, tertiary branches forked or simple, branchlets sparse and regular, adjacent primary branches on main stem 1.5-3 cm apart, ultimate branches 2-3 mm wide including leaves. Axillary leaves on main stems larger than those on branches, oblong-ovate or obovate; axillary leaves on branches symmetrical, narrowly obovate, 0.7-1.1 × 0.17-0.55 mm, base exauriculate, margin ciliolate. Dorsal leaves ± symmetrical, those on main stems not obviously larger than those on branches; dorsal leaves on branches contiguous, ovate-elliptic, 0.6-1.2 × 0.3-0.7 mm, not carinate, base cuneate, margin long ciliolate, apex acute. Ventral leaves ± symmetrical, those on main stem not obviously larger than those on branches, overlapping or imbricate (at apex of branchlets), slightly ascending, 1-1.5 × 0.5-1 mm, apex acute or obtuse; basiscopic base slightly auriculate, margin long ciliolate (at base); acroscopic base not enlarged, not overlapping stem and branches, margin long ciliolate. Fertile branches erect. Strobili solitary or in pairs, terminal, compact, tetragonal, 5-12 × 1.5-1.8 mm; sporophylls uniform, white-margined, ovate, carinate, margin ciliolate, apex acute; ventral sporophylls ovate, strobili with only 1 megasporophyll at base of lower side, elsewhere with microsporophylls (megasporophyll very large); microsporangia ellipsoid, relatively thick, cells regular; microspores orange-red, megaspores whitish.