Selaginella

Scientific name

Selaginella P. Beauv.

Common names

spike-moss, peacock fern, peacock spike-moss, vine spike-moss, African club moss, garden selaginella

Family

Selaginellaceae

Similar genera

Blechnum

Native distribution

tropical and southern Africa and Asia

Species cultivated

(three species plus cultivated hybrids and varieties)

Selaginella kraussiana (Kunze) A. Braun

S. uncinata (Desv. ex Poir.) Spring

S. willdenowii (Desv. ex Poir.) Baker

Adventive distribution

introduced to Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Europe and the United States

Weed status

Selaginella kraussiana, S. uncinata, and S. willdenowii are considered significant weeds in several countries.

Habit

terrestrial, amphibiousamphibious:
(adj) of a plant able to live on land or in water
; erect

Brief description

Small to medium, fern-like. Spore-producing generation (sporophyte) is dominant, formed of evergreen, creeping to climbing stems. Stem is pinnately branched, angularangular:
(adj) having projecting longitudinal angles; undulate, but sharply angled rather than gently rounded
with parallel grooves, glabrousglabrous:
(adj) without hairs or scales
; rhizophores present, basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
spinelike protuberances may be present. Leaves arranged in 2 median and 2 laterallateral:
(adj) on or pertaining to the side of an organ or structure
rows, delicate, papery, iridescent blue green. Median leaves ovate-lanceolate, transparent to green; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
acuminateacuminate:
(adj) tapering gradually to a point and forming more or less concave sides
; base auriculateauriculate:
(adj) bearing auricles
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
or dentatedentate:
(adj) (of a leaf margin) (1) toothed; (2) bearing shallow teeth projecting outward from midrib
. Laterallateral:
(adj) on or pertaining to the side of an organ or structure
leaves ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
to oblongoblong:
(adj) two to four times longer than wide, with +/- parallel sides
; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
to rounded; base typically auriculateauriculate:
(adj) bearing auricles
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
or dentatedentate:
(adj) (of a leaf margin) (1) toothed; (2) bearing shallow teeth projecting outward from midrib
. Spore-producing generation (sporophyte) emersedemersed:
see emergent
.

Natural habitat

moist areas along lakes, streams, rivers, and spring runs, under shrubs, in moist woods and hammocks

Additional comments

Selaginella is a genus containing over 350 species, none of which are truly aquatic, though some are tolerant of periods submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
. Selaginella willdenowii and S. uncinata are often offered as aquarium plants, but do not survive long term if submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
.