Selaginella eurynota A.Braun

  • 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 eurynota A.Braun

  • Description

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    Species Description - Stems suberect, greenish to stramineous, 20–35 cm long, ca. 1 mm diam., articulate, not flagelliform, not stoloniferous, 2–3 times branched; rhizophores in proximal 1/4 of stems, stout, straight, 0.4–0.5 mm diam.; leaves of two kinds (anisophyllous) throughout stem length; lateral leaves obliquely oblong, slightly to highly curled, 4–4.5 mm long near stem tips, 1–1.5 mm long near base of plants, bases truncate to subcordate, centrally attached, margins short-ciliate at bases, denticulate distally, apices acute; median leaves obliquely ovate-lanceolate, bases with a single peltate auricle, margins ciliate, apices long-acuminate; axillary leaves linear-oblong, auriculate with incurved auricles, ciliate in lower 1/2, denticulate distally; strobili quadrangular, 3–6 mm long; sporophylls monomorphic; megasporangia single at base of strobili; microsporangia occupying most of strobili; megaspores beige, reticulate with white, high ridges, 450–540 µm diam.; microspores beige.

  • Discussion

    Type. Costa Rica. Aguacate: Hoffmann 907 (presumably B; isotype K).

    Selaginella eurynota is part of an incompletely resolved complex that includes S. schizobasis and S. sertata. Selaginella eurynota is characterized by having axillary leaves on the main stems with two incurved, ciliate auricles (vs. auricles divergent in S. schizobasis and absent on mature, non-stoloniferous stems of S. sertata) and lateral leaves with an acroscopic auricle clasping and directed downward along the stem (vs. only clasping, but not downward-directed in S. schizobasis and absent on mature, nonstoloniferous stems in S. sertata). Specimens cited by Mickel and Beitel (1988) from Oaxaca as S. eurynota have been assigned to S. sertata (which see for discussion), as have some collections from Guerrero and Jalisco. These specimens all show their main stems to have arisen from flagelliform branches, as is characteristic of S. sertata.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial on shaded roadsides and streambanks in wet tropical forests on Pacific slope; 50–900 m. Mexico; Guat, Nic, CR, Pan.

    Mexico North America| Panama Central America| Costa Rica South America| Guatemala Central America| Nicaragua Central America|