Selaginella P.Beauv.
Plants mat-forming, creeping, erect, or pendent-epiphytic. Stems slender. Lvs numerous, c. 0.5-10 mm long, 1-veined, either all similar and spirally arranged, or dimorphic and 4-ranked with lower patent and upper appressed, pointing forwards. Strobili terminal, usually quadrangular, occasionally cylindric. Megasporangia basal, > apical microsporangia. Spores trilete.
Key
1
Main stem erect, branching regularly to produce a frond-like growth habit; lvs mostly 1-2 mm long
Main stem creeping or upturned only at ends of branches, branching irregularly, never producing a frond-like growth habit; lvs 2-4 mm long
2
Plants prostrate and creeping; lvs on all branches ± equal in size; strobili lateral, with sporophylls markedly smaller than nearest microphylls
Plants suberect with at least the apical branches upturned; lvs decreasing slightly in size from main stem to apices; strobili mostly terminal, with sporophylls only slightly smaller than nearest microphylls
c. 700 spp., pantropical with some also in temperate regions. Naturalised spp. 3.
