Selaginella wrightii

Hieronymus

Hedwigia 39: 298. 1900.

Common names: Wright's spike-moss
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 2.

Plants on rock, forming loose to dense mats. Stems not readily fragmenting, prostrate, upperside and underside structurally different, irregularly forked, branches determinate, tips upturned. Rhizophores borne on upperside of stems, throughout stem length, 0.25–0.37 mm diam. Leaves dimorphic, arranged in 8 ranks, tightly appressed, ascending, green; abaxial ridges absent; apex with yellowish bristle 0.2–0.5 mm, becoming denticulate (by breaking off of bristle); bristle usually more persistent in underside leaves. Underside leaves narrowly linear-lanceolate to falcate (on marginal ranks), 3.5–4.5 (–5) X 0.55–0.7 mm; base abruptly adnate or slightly decurrent, usually pubescent, sometimes glabrous; margins ciliate, cilia transparent, spreading, 0.12–0.26 mm. Upperside leaves linear-lanceolate, 3.3–3.85 × 0.6–0.75 mm; base abruptly adnate, pubescent; margins ciliate, cilia transparent, spreading, 0.12–0.26 mm. Strobili solitary, (0.7–) 1.5–2 (–2.6) cm; sporophylls lanceolate, abaxial ridges not prominent, base glabrous, margins ciliate, apex strongly tapering, bristle obscure.


Habitat: On exposed or shaded limestone cliffs
Elevation: 800–2300 m

Discussion

Of other species in the flora, Selaginella wrightii seems to be allied to S. hansenii. The structural differentiation of the stem, adjacently different leaves, and upturned branch tips align the two species to the series Eremophilae. Selaginella wrightii is a calciphile, according to R. M. Tryon (1955).

Of conservation concern.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thick" is not a number.

... more about "Selaginella wrightii"
tapering +  and denticulate +
Iván A. Valdespino +
Hieronymus +
glabrous +  and pubescent +
decurrent +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br />) +
transparent +
0.012 cm0.12 mm <br />1.2e-4 m <br /> (0.026 cm0.26 mm <br />2.6e-4 m <br />) +
Wright's spike-moss +
N.Mex. +, Tex. +  and Mexico +
800–2300 m +
On exposed or shaded limestone cliffs +
monomorphic +
fertile +  and vegetative +
linear-lanceolate;linear +
ciliate +  and serrate +
globose +, ovoid +  and tetrahedral +
tetrahedral +
alternating +
0.025 cm0.25 mm <br />2.5e-4 m <br /> (0.037 cm0.37 mm <br />3.7e-4 m <br />) +
adjacently +  and monomorphic +
fertile +  and vegetative +
branched +, not +  and articulate +
dimorphic +, climbing +  and cespitose +
decumbent;creeping;prostrate +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (2.6 cm26 mm <br />0.026 m <br />) +
quadrangular +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Selaginella wrightii +
Selaginella subg. Tetragonostachys +
species +
branched +  and not articulate +
0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.45 cm4.5 mm <br />0.0045 m <br />) +
0.055 cm0.55 mm <br />5.5e-4 m <br /> (0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br />) +
erect +  and creeping +
branched +  and not articulate +
0.33 cm3.3 mm <br />0.0033 m <br /> (0.385 cm3.85 mm <br />0.00385 m <br />) +
linear-lanceolate +
0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br /> (0.075 cm0.75 mm <br />7.5e-4 m <br />) +
erect +  and creeping +
differentiated +
perennial +  and annual +
epiphytic +  and hemiepiphytic +
12 +, 11 +, 10 +, 9 +, 8 +  and 7 +