Monographs Details:
Authority:
Proctor, George R. 1989. Ferns of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 53: 1-389.
Proctor, George R. 1989. Ferns of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 53: 1-389.
Family:
Selaginellaceae
Selaginellaceae
Description:
Species Description - Main stems 5-14 cm long, usually decumbent (or the apical part ascending), 0.2-0.5 mm thick, producing capillary rhizophores from the lower and middle nodes; branched nearly throughout. Branches altemate, close, mostly 1-3 cm long (rarely more), the larger with 2 or 3 short secondary branchlets. Lateral leaves of stem and main branches elliptic-oblong to ovate-oblong, 2-3 mm long, 0.8-1.5 mm broad, somewhat acute, inequilateral, the margins more or less ciliolate or denticulate, the tissue delicately m e m branous, pale green and pellucid. Median leaves mostly obovate, 1.5-2.2 mm long, abruptly acuminate-aristate, the margins ciliolate. Strobiles mostly 2-5 mm long; sporophylls 1-1.3 mm long, carinate, the margins rigidly denticulate.
Species Description - Main stems 5-14 cm long, usually decumbent (or the apical part ascending), 0.2-0.5 mm thick, producing capillary rhizophores from the lower and middle nodes; branched nearly throughout. Branches altemate, close, mostly 1-3 cm long (rarely more), the larger with 2 or 3 short secondary branchlets. Lateral leaves of stem and main branches elliptic-oblong to ovate-oblong, 2-3 mm long, 0.8-1.5 mm broad, somewhat acute, inequilateral, the margins more or less ciliolate or denticulate, the tissue delicately m e m branous, pale green and pellucid. Median leaves mostly obovate, 1.5-2.2 mm long, abruptly acuminate-aristate, the margins ciliolate. Strobiles mostly 2-5 mm long; sporophylls 1-1.3 mm long, carinate, the margins rigidly denticulate.
Discussion:
Fig. 12.
Basionym. Diplostachyum tenellum Palisot de Beauvois, Mag. Encycl. 9: 481. 1804; Prodr. aetheogam. 104. 1805.
Lectotype. Ventenat, from Puerto Rico (ex Herb. Desvaux, P) (chosen by Proctor, Fems of Jamaica, p. 45, 1985).
Syn. Lycopodium tenellum (Palisot de Beauvois) Desvaux ex Poiret in Lamarck, Encycl. Meth. Bot. Suppl. 3: 553. 1814.
Selaginella albo-nitens Spring, Bull. Acad. Roy. Sci. Bruxelles 10: 139. 1843. (Syntypes. Beaupertuis and LHerminier, both from Guadeloupe, not seen.)
Selaginella mollis Fee, Mem. foug. 11: 133, t. 34, fig. 1. 1866, not A. Braun, 1865. (Type. LHerminier, from Guadeloupe, not seen.)
Distribution:
West Indies| Central America| South America| United States of America North America| Mexico North America|
West Indies| Central America| South America| United States of America North America| Mexico North America|