Selaginella helvetica (L.) Link

Species

Pteridophytes > Lycopodiales > Selaginellaceae > Selaginella

Characteristics

Plants terrestrial or epilithic, seasonally green, shortly creeping; fertile stems erect, 5-15 cm. Rhizophores at intervals throughout length of creeping stem and branches, borne on ventral side in axils of branches. Main stems branched throughout, stramineous, 0.2-0.4 mm in diam. in lower part, stem angulate, sulcate; primary leafy branches 2-5 pairs, simple, forked, or once pinnately branched, branchlets sparse, adjacent primary branches on main stem 2-3 cm apart, leafy branches and main stems glabrous, dorsiventrally flattened, leafy portion of main stem including leaves 3-3.8 mm wide at middle, ultimate branches 2-3.6 mm wide including leaves. Axillary leaves on branches ± symmetrical, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, 1.4-1.6 × 0.4-0.8 mm, base exauriculate, margin ciliolate. Dorsal leaves ± symmetrical, those on main stems not obviously larger than those on branches; dorsal leaves on branches contiguous or imbricate, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1.2-1.6 × 0.5-0.8 mm, base obtuse, margin ciliolate, apex long acuminate or aristate, often reflexed. Ventral leaves asymmetrical, those on main stem not obviously larger than those on branches; ventral leaves on branches spreading or slightly deflexed, oblong-ovate or broadly ovate, 1.6-2 × 0.8-1.2 mm, apex acute or aristate, often bent upward; basiscopic margin ciliolate; acroscopic base enlarged, broader, overlapping stem and branches, margin ciliolate. Fertile branches erect, 3-6 cm including strobili. Strobili solitary or forked, terminal, lax, or lax in lower portion and compact in upper part, cylindric, 12-35 × 2-4 mm; sporophylls unlike sterile leaves or similar, uniform, not white-margined, margin ciliolate, apex long acuminate; megasporophylls in basal portion on lower side of strobilus or megasporophylls and microsporophylls at intervals; microsporangia elliptic or suborbicular, relatively thick, with relatively large cells at central part; microspores orange-red, megaspores orange or yellowish orange.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support -
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality -
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.05 - 0.13
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture 7-8
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) -

Usage

Uses -
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
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Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Selaginella helvetica world distribution map, present in China and France

Identifiers

LSID -
WFO ID wfo-0001116470
COL ID -
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Selaginella helvetica

Lower taxons

Selaginella helvetica subsp. helvetica Selaginella helvetica subsp. pseudonipponica