Selaginella myosurus (Sw.) Alston

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Lac Yandja, Tshopo

Photo: Bart Wursten
Bomane, Aruwimi River

Photo: Bart Wursten
Yaekela

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Synonyms:	Afroselaginella myosurus (Sw.) Li Bing Zhang & X.M.Zhou Lycopodioides scandens (P.Beauv.) Kuntze Lycopodium apiculatum Hornem.ms. ex Kuhn Lycopodium myosurus Sw. Lycopodium plumosum Desv. ex Poir. Lycopodium scandens (P.Beauv.) Sw. Selaginella scandens (P.Beauv.) Spring Stachygynandrum myosurus (Sw.) G.Kunkel Stachygynandrum scandens P.Beauv.
Common names:
Frequency:	Common
Status:	Native
Description:	Plant with main stem climbing and winding to the right (dextrovolubile), up to 2 m x 1-1.5 mm diam., branched; lateral branches c. 12 x 4 cm, pinnate, oblong-lanceolate in outline, with lateral leaves spaced on the main axis and overlapping on the ultimate branches; ultimate ramifications about 2 x 7 cm (leaves included); rhizophores up to 30 cm long by 0.75 mm in diameter, streaked or buff when dry, glabrous, abruptly deflected; ventral rhizophores with a short papilla. . Leaves homomorphic on main stem, heteromorphic elsewhere. Main stem leaves c. 3 mm long, spaced 1 cm apart, ovate, apex tapering, base subulate, margin subentire, with two broad acute auricles at base; lateral leaves of the main branches unequal, the upper side semi-lanceolate, base rounded. Ultimate branches lateral leaves 3-3.5 x 1-1.5 cm, slightly falciform, apex mucronate-acruminate, unequal, margins with 1-3 rows of elongated cells, midrib raised on the upper side, not quite reaching the top; axillary leaves ovate, acute, denticulate, with or without short auricles; median leaves ovate-lanceolate, with a blade about 1-1.8 x 0.5-0.8 mm, denticulate, acuminate, long awned, the awn about half the length of the blade. Strobili solitary at the end of the final branches, usually about 1-4 cm long by 2-3 mm in diameter; sporophylls homomorphic (except those with megasporangia, which are slightly larger), ovate-deltoid, long-acuminate-awned, serrulate, articulated.
Type location:	Sierra Leone
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	Along margins and in clearings off forest, often in secondary or disturbed vegetation, along paths and roadsides.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 1400 m
Worldwide distribution:	Senegal, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo-Brazzaville, DR Congo, Kenya and Angola.
National distribution:
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Friday 9 May 2025
Literature:	Bizzarri, M.P. (1985). Selaginellaceae Flore d' Afrique Centrale National Botanic Garden of Belgium Pages 14 - 17.

Other sources of information about Selaginella myosurus:

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Selaginella myosurus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Selaginella myosurus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Selaginella myosurus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Selaginella myosurus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Selaginella myosurus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Selaginella myosurus
JSTOR Plant Science: Selaginella myosurus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Selaginella myosurus
Plants of the World Online: Selaginella myosurus
Tropicos: Selaginella myosurus
Wikipedia: Selaginella myosurus