About Selaginella eremophila Maxon
Nomenclature and Common Name
Selaginella eremophila, formally published as Selaginella eremophila Maxon, is a species of spikemoss commonly called desert spikemoss.
Native Range
This lycophyte is native to deserts and adjacent neighboring mountains around the area where California, Arizona, and Baja California meet.
Habitat
It grows in sandy and rocky habitats.
Growth Form and Stem Structure
It forms dense mats made up of spreading stems that bear small, forking branches.
Leaf Size and Arrangement
Its lance-shaped leaves reach up to 3 millimeters long on the lower surfaces of stems, and are slightly shorter on the upper stem sides.
Leaf Morphology
The tiny leaves have pointed tips that bear soft, twisted bristles.
Reproductive Structure Size
The strobili, which hold the plant's reproductive parts, are less than one centimeter long.
