Selaginellaceae
Selaginella

Selaginella rhodostachya Baker

First published in Timehri 5: 221 (1886)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Venezuela to Guyana. It is an epiphyte and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

de Araújo Góes-Neto, L.A. et al. 2017. Selaginella (Selaginellaceae) from Brazil: a new species, new records and lectotype designation. Kew Bulletin 72:40. DOI 10.1007/S12225-017-9714-5

Type
Type: Guyana, Mount Roraima, 1884, E. F. Thurn [271*] (holotype K [K 000229471]-image!).
Distribution
Venezuela, Guyana, andBrazil(Roraima).
Ecology
Terrestrial or eventually epipetric in montane areas.
Conservation
Data Deficient (DD) within IUCN (2012) guidelines.
Note
Selaginella rhodostachya can be recognised chiefly by its microphylls ovate to ovate-elliptic with an obtuse apex, lateral microphylls with margins entire to slightly serrulate only acroscopically, dorsal microphylls with margins long-ciliate in the inner portion of the apical half, and midribs prominent. The megaspore surfaces are irregularly and slightly granulated; the microspore surfaces are covered with dense and interconnected verrucae. This is a very polymorphic species, probably constituting a complex. In Brazil Selaginella rhodostachya is most similar to S. microdonta A. C. Sm., but differs chiefly by its dorsal microphylls each with an obtuse (vs acute to short-aristate) apex. Morphometric studies, as well as palynological and molecular studies, are needed to clarify the circum­scription of this species.
[KBu]

Sources

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Bulletin

    • Kew Bulletin
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0