About Selaginella wallacei Hieron.
Nomenclature
Selaginella wallacei Hieron. is a spikemoss species commonly called Wallace's spikemoss.
Native Range
It is native to western North America, ranging from British Columbia to California and Montana.
Habitat Types
It grows in many habitat types, including both open and shaded areas, and environments from wet to dry.
Substrate Preference
It most often grows on and over rocks.
Growth Form Variability
This lycophyte has a variable appearance, with its growth form determined by its habitat.
It can grow as a spreading plant with many narrow branches, or form a small, dense mat.
Stem Characteristics
Its forking stems reach up to around 25 centimeters long, but they stay much shorter when growing in dry conditions.
Leaf Morphology
The stems are covered in linear, lance-shaped, or oblong leaves that reach up to 4 millimeters long when the bristles at the leaf tips are included.
Reproductive Structure Size
The strobili that hold the plant's reproductive structures can be quite long, growing up to 9 centimeters in length.
