Selaginella oaxacana 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 oaxacana Spring

  • Description

    Species Description - Stems erect, bases decumbent with age, stramineous to pale green, to 90 cm tall, 2-3 mm diam., not articulate, not flagelliform, stoloniferous, mostly 3-times branched, frond-like; rhizophores restricted to stem bases, to 1 mm diam.; leaves on main stem monomorphic, of two kinds (anisophyllous) above first branch, glabrous, with idioblasts (especially visible on upper surface on lateral and median leaves), leaf margins often curling on drying, appressed on main stems below first branch, ovate, bases rounded, margins minutely denticulate, apices acute; lateral leaves obliquely oblong, ca. 4-5 mm long on main stems, ca. 3 mm long on branches, 2 mm wide, bases truncate to rounded along basiscopic margins, rounded along acroscopic margins, margins minutely denticulate at bases, entire distally, apices obtuse; median leaves ovate, denticulate, oblique at bases with small subequal auricles, apices acuminate; axillary leaves ovate, bases rounded to subcordate, exauriculate, margins minutely denticulate at bases; strobili quadrangular, 5-10 mm long; sporophylls monomorphic and of two colors, dorsal rows green, ventral rows colorless, ascending; megasporangia in two ventral rows; microsporangia in two dorsal rows; megaspores cream-white, with low narrow ridges to nearly smooth, 260-420 µm diam.; microspores orange-yellow, nearly smooth to short-papillate.

  • Discussion

    Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: Chinantla, Galeotti 6608 bis (presumably LG; isotypes P!, BR! as 6608, same no. as cited for S. martensii).

    Lycopodium flabellatum L. var. strictum M. Martens & Galeotti, Me´m. Foug. Mexique 12. 1842. Type. Mexico. Oaxaca: Galeotti 6608 (BR!; isotype P!; see above)

    This is the most common of the tall, caulescent Mexican selaginellas. In general, S. oaxacana closely resembles S. mosorongensis and S. cuneata, but S. mosorongensis can be distinguished by its reflexed stem leaves with large, long-ciliate auricles, more ciliate, long-aristate median leaves with unequal auricles, ciliate axillary leaves, and tan megaspores. Selaginella cuneata is distinct in its cuneate-based lateral and axillary leaves and relative lack of idioblasts

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial in montane rain forests; 250–1800 m. Mexico; Guat, Hond, CR, Pan; Col, Ec.

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