Selaginella polyptera Valdespino

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Selaginella polyptera Valdespino

Descripción

A. S. pulcherrima foliis conspicue dimorphis in caulibus principalibus infra ramos primos, foliis lateralibus patentibus, foliis medianis longiaristatis, aristis longitudine >1⁄3 foliorum aequantibus dignoscenda; a S. harrisii primo charactere differt. (Gr., poly, many, pteron, wing, alluding to the spreading, imbricate lateral leaves that give the apprearance of wings.)

Stems erect, fasciculate, to 45 cm tall, 1–1.5 mm diam., light green to stramineous, not articulate, not flagelliform, not stoloniferous, 2–4 times branched; rhizophores restricted to stem bases, stout, 0.3–0.8 mm diam.; leaves of two kinds (anisophyllous) throughout stem length; lateral leaves imbricate below first branch to distant, ovate to ovate-deltate, 2.5–4 X 1.5–2.6 mm, bases rounded, margins hyaline, long-ciliate proximally, denticulate distally, apices long-acuminate; median leaves appressed, broadly ovate to ovate-deltate, 1.5–2.5 X 1–1.5 mm, bases rounded or cordate, margins hyaline, long-ciliate proximally, denticulate distally, apices long-acuminate; axillary leaves broadly ovate to ovate, bases shortly biauriculate, margins ciliate proximally, denticulate distally, apices acuminate; strobili quadrangular, 3–10 mm long; sporophylls monomorphic (ventral ones sometimes lighter green); megasporangia scattered on two ventral rows; microsporangia in two dorsal rows and mixed on ventral rows; megaspores pale yellow, reticulate with a low equatorial flange, 250–300 µm diam.; microspores orange.A

Forma de crecimiento

Hierba

Forma de vida

Epipétrica, TerrestreA

Nutrición

Autotrófica

Ejemplar revisado

Chis (Breedlove 56384, CAS). Hgo (Fraile & Pérez 12a, ENCB; Hellwig 1235, NY; Moore 5080, BH, UC). Oax (Geith 95-M121, NY; Hallberg 1375, NY). SLP (King 4328,NY, TEX, UC, US; Mickel 599, NY). Ver (Bourgeau 2024, US; Nee & Taylor 26657, NY, UC). Bel (Bartlett 11321, UC).A

Distribución

Centroamérica: Belice PresenteA, México (país) Nativo y no endémicoA

Elevación

180 – 1750 mA

Ecología y Hábitat

Among limestone rocks.A

Tipo de vegetación

Bosque de neblina/mesófiloA

Categoría IUCN

No incluidaB

Categoría NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010

No incluidaC

Estatus del taxón

(A) Como definida actualmente, probablemente una entidad natural (monofilética)

Discusión taxonómica

Selaginella polyptera is part of a taxonomically confusing species group including S. acutifolia, S. harrisii, S. pallescens, and S. pulcherrima. It seems intermediate between S. pallescens and S. pulcherrima. Selaginella polyptera can be distinguished from S. pallescens by its axillary leaves broadly ovate to ovate (vs. ovate to ovate-lanceolate), with the bases subcordate (vs. cordate), with only an obscure outer auricle (vs. with inner and outer conspicuous auricles). It differs from S. harrisii and S. pulcherrima mainly by its obviously dimorphic, ascending to spreading (vs. leaves seemingly monomorphic, strongly clasping the stems) leaves on the main stems below the first branch.
Selaginella polyptera is remarkable by having median leaves on main stems with wide hyaline margins to ca. 4–6 cells wide and long-aristate apices, the aristae hyaline and ca. 1⁄3 or more as long as the lamina length.
A

Bibliografía

A. Mickel, J. T. & Smith, A. R. 2004: The Pteridophytes of Mexico Vol. 88
B. IUCN 2022: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Versión 2022-2
C. SEMARNAT 2019: MODIFICACIÓN del Anexo Normativo III, Lista de especies en riesgo de la Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010: 101 pp. – https://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5578808&fecha=14/11/2019#gsc.tab=0 [accessed 2023-05-04 06:16]