Selaginella martensii Spring

  • Authority

    Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.

  • Family

    Selaginellaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Selaginella martensii Spring

  • Description

    Species Description - Stems suberect, branching from proximal 2/3, stramineous to pale green, 2–2.5 mm diam., not articulate, not flagelliform, not stoloniferous; rhizophores in proximal 1/3–2/3 of stems, stout, mostly 0.8–1.2 mm diam.; leaves of two kinds (anisophyllous) throughout stem length; lateral leaves obliquely oblong, 3.5–5 mm long, bases rounded, margins denticulate to entire, rarely with a few long cilia at bases, apices obtuse; median leaves ovate, midribs prominent, aristae 0.8–1 mm long, bases each with one basiscopic auricle, margins slightly white-bordered, long-ciliate to denticulate distally, apices long-aristate; axillary leaves ovate, bases cordate, exauriculate, with a few cilia at bases, otherwise denticulate to entire, apices obtuse; strobili quadrangular, 3–15 mm long; sporophylls monomorphic; megasporangia in two ventral rows; microsporangia in two dorsal rows; megaspores white, 200–300 µm diam.; microspores orange-tan, with low broad papillae coalescing into ridges, shed mostly in tetrads.

  • Discussion

    Lectotype. Gregory & Riba (1979: 16) cited Galeotti 6606-bis, LV (intending LG?), as “type” (i.e., lectotype). Mickel and Beitel (1988: 344) pointed out that of the four syntypes of S. martensii (Galeotti 6606, 6608, 6618, and Jurgensen s.n., no herbarium indicated), Alston (1955: 257) had previously selected Galeotti 6606 as lectotype of S. galeottii (= S. stellata ). For this reason (and others, discussed in 1988), Mickel and Beitel lectotypified S. martensii with Galeotti 6618. This specimen is not at LG, said to house Spring’s personal herbarium, but has been seen at BR (3 sheets) and P (2 sheets), herbaria consulted by Spring. One of the BR specimens should be selected as “second-stage” lectotype.

    Selaginella solmsii Baker, Handb. Fern-Allies 56. 1887. Type. Guatemala. Costa Grande, Bernoulli & Cario 181 (K).

    Selaginella martensii is distinguishable by its thick, straight rhizophores, long-aristate median leaves with ciliate (to denticulate) margins and basiscopic auricles, large lateral leaves 3.5–5 mm long with only a few short hairs at bases, and broad stems 2–2.5 mm wide. As pointed out by Mickel and Beitel (1988), some specimens of S. martensii from Oaxaca (two of which are cited here and marked by an asterisk) have long-ciliate median leaves with prominent idioblasts and lateral leaves with ciliate bases; they may represent a distinct taxon restricted to Oaxaca. Selaginella stenophylla is similar to S. martensii in being suberect with stout rhizophores, with ciliate-denticulate to shortciliate, long-aristate median leaves, and denticulate lateral axillary leaves. Selaginella stenophylla differs in having idioblasts on the median and lateral leaves, which are smaller (1.8–3mmlong), strongly winged, dimorphic sporophylls and cream-colored megaspores. See S. lineolata for comparison of it with S. stenophylla.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in montane rain forests and cloud forests; 130-2300 m. Mexico; Guat, Hond, Sal, Nic, CR, Pan.

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