Selaginella pulcherrima Liebm.
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Authority
Mickel, John T. & Smith, Alan R. 2004. The pteridophytes of Mexico. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 88: 1-1054.
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Family
Selaginellaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Stems erect, fasciculate from short-creeping rhizomatous bases, green, 15-75 cm long, 0.5-2.5 mm diam., not articulate, not flagelliform, not stoloniferous, 3-4 times branched, frondlike; rhizophores restricted to stem bases, stout, 0.5-1 mm diam.; leaves of two kinds (anisophyllous) throughout most of plant, monomorphic and strongly clasping the stems below the first to fifth well developed lateral branches; lateral leaves ovate, 2.5-4 x 2-3 mm, bases subcordate to subauriculate, acroscopic bases rounded, margins hyaline to greenish, short-ciliate proximally, denticulate to entire distally, apices long-acuminate to aristate, surfaces glabrous, without conspicuous idioblasts; median leaves ovate, 3-3.5 x 1.5-2 mm, bases subcordate, margins greenish to slightly hyaline, short-ciliate proximally, denticulate distally, apices acuminate to aristate; axillary leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, bases subcordate to subauriculate, margins greenish to hyaline, ciliate proximally, denticulate distally, apices long-acuminate to aristate; strobili quadrangular, 2-14 mm long; sporophylls monomorphic, ventral ones sometimes less chlorophyllous; megasporangia mostly basal on two ventral rows; microsporangia in two dorsal rows and distally on ventral rows; megaspores white to beige, rugose to smooth or reticulate with low ridges, 300-400 µm diam.; microspores orange.
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Discussion
Lectotype (chosen by Alston, 1955: 239). Mexico. Veracruz: near Hacienda de Jovo, Liebmann 2061 (C!; isolectotypes BM!, K!, NY!, US!).
Selaginella pulcherrima is characterized by having monomorphic leaves along the stems below the first to fifth well developed branches. It is closely related to S. harrisii. Luna et al. 633 is unusual by having reticulate megaspores.
Selaginella pulcherrima is further characterized by median leaves on main stems with narrowly hyaline margins 1–2 cells wide and long-acuminate to short-aristate apices. The acuminate tips or aristae are green at the center, narrowly hyaline at margins, and less than 1/3 the laminar length. These characters separate S. pulcherrima from S. polyptera, which see for further comparison.
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Distribution
Terrestrial or epipetric on shaded trail banks and road banks; 1200-2400 m. Mexico; Hond.
Mexico North America| Honduras Central America|