Selaginella apoda
Selaginella arizonica
meadow spike-moss, sélaginelle apode
Arizona spike-moss
prostrate to short-creeping, sparsely branched, branches mostly simple or 1-forked, flat, not articulate, glabrous.
not readily fragmenting, prostrate, upperside and underside structurally different, irregularly forked, branches determinate, tips upturned in extremely dry conditions.
delicate, papery.
conspicuously dimorphic, in 8 ranks, tightly appressed to ascending, green;
abaxial ridges present;
apex with transparent to opaque, flattened bristle 0.1–0.3 mm, sometimes becoming acute (by breaking off of bristle).
paired or solitary, lax, flattened, 1–2 cm;
sporophylls ovate to ovate-deltate, strongly keeled, keel dentate, base slightly cordate to rounded, margins with scattered teeth, apex acuminate;
megasporophylls larger and wider than microsporophylls, usually on underside of strobili.
solitary, 5–10 mm;
sporophylls ovate-deltate, abaxial ridges not prominent, base glabrous, margins short-ciliate to denticulate, apex acute.
axillary, throughout stem length or restricted to proximal 1/3 of stem, 0.05–0.1 mm diam.
borne on upperside of stem throughout, 0.25–0.3 mm diam.
leaves distant, green, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 1.35–2.25 × 0.75–1.35 mm;
base slightly cordate;
margins green or with 1 row of transparent cells, serrate;
apex acute, ending in teeth.
leaves ovate-lanceolate, 1–1.6 × 0.45–0.7 mm;
base oblique on inner side, rounded and prominent on outer side;
margins green or with row of transparent cells, serrate;
apex straight, acuminate to long-acuminate.
leaves lanceolate, 2–2.5 × 0.5–0.6 mm;
base decurrent, glabrous;
margins ciliate, cilia transparent to opaque, spreading or ascending, 0.06–0.13 mm.
leaves linear-lanceolate to slightly falcate (on marginal ranks), 1.9–2.25 × 0.4–0.55 mm;
base abruptly adnate, pubescent or glabrous;
margins ciliate, cilia transparent to opaque, spreading, 0.06–0.15 mm.
Selaginella apoda
Selaginella arizonica
Selaginella apoda is the central component of a taxonomically difficult species complex of eastern North America. It is closely related to S. eclipes (see discussion) and S. ludoviciana. Naturally occurring and experimental hybrids between S. apoda and S. ludoviciana have been reported (P. Somers and W. R. Buck 1975; T. R. Webster 1990). Also, some evidence indicates that hybrids may occur between S. apoda and S. eclipes. More studies are needed in this complex.
The species in the S. apoda complex may be best classified under subg. Homostachys of J. G. Baker (1883, 1887), with which they share flattened strobili and larger sporophylls (megasporophylls) that are usually in the same plane as the vegetative lateral leaves. They are, however, treated here with the other heterophyllous species of subg. Stachygynandrum until a reassessment of the classification of the genus Selaginella can be made.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Selaginella arizonica can be further distinguished from the similar S. peruviana by its broad, thin underside leaves. In S. peruviana the underside leaves are narrow and fleshy.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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