Selaginella wallichii (Hook. & Grev.) Spring

Plants terrestrial, evergreen, erect, 40-70 cm, with creeping subterranean rhizome and stolons. Rhizophores restricted to lower part of stem. Main stems branched in upper part or from lower part, pinnately branched or irregularly pinnately branched, stramineous, unbranched main stem 5-20 cm tall, 2-2.6 mm in diam. in lower part, subquadrangular, sulcate, glabrous, apex of main stem not blackish; primary leafy branches 4-8 pairs, once pinnately branched, branchlets regular, adjacent primary branches on main stem 5-10 cm apart, ultimate branches 3.8-6 mm wide including leaves. Axillary leaves on main stems obviously larger than those on branches, broadly ovate to suborbicular, 4-5 × 3-4.2 mm, base cordate; axillary scales on branches ± symmetrical, broadly ovate to oblong-elliptic, 2.4-3.8 × 1.2-1.9 mm, base exauriculate, margin entire. Dorsal leaves on ultimate branches contiguous, elliptic-lanceolate, 1-2.6 × 0.3-1.2 mm, not carinate, base oblique, margin entire, apex acuminate to shortly aristate. Ventral leaves on ultimate branches contiguous, spreading, oblong-falcate, 2.2-3.2 × 0.9-1.3 mm, margin subentire, apex acute or apiculate; basiscopic base rounded, margin entire; acroscopic base rounded, not overlapping stem and branches, margin entire. Strobili solitary, terminal, compact, tetragonal, 6-20 × 1.3-2 mm; sporophylls uniform, white-margined, ovate-lanceolate, margin entire, apex acuminate; dorsal sporophylls ovate-lanceolate, carinate, margin entire, apex acuminate; megasporophylls in middle on lower side of strobilus; microsporangia ellipsoid, relatively thick, cells regular; microspores pale yellow, megaspores white-yellow.

It is a subtropical plant. It grows in shaded places in forests. It grows between 100-1,500 m above sea level in south China. In Yunnan.

The young tender leaves or fronds are cooked and eaten as a vegetable.