Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (2005) Author: B. Verdcourt, B.Sc., Ph.D.
Names
Selaginella molliceps Spring [family SELAGINELLACEAE], Mon. Fam. Lycopod. 2: 257 (1849); Hieron. in E. & P., Pf. 1 (4): 697 (1901) & in Z.A.E. 2: 40 (1910); Alston in Exell, Cat. Vasc. Pl. S. Tomé: 97 (1944) & in Mém. I.F.A.N. 50: 43 (1957) and Ferns W.T.A.: 17 (1959); Tardieu, Fl. Gabon 8: 24, t. 3/6–8 (1964) & Fl. Cameroun 3: 41, t. 3/6–8 (1964); Schelpe & Jermy, C.F.A. Pterid.: 31 (1977); Benl in Acta Bot. Barcin. 31: 20 (1978); Bizzarri, F.A.C. Selaginellaceae: 49, t. 8c (1985). Type: West Africa (? Principe I. fide Alston), Curror s.n. (K!, holo., B, iso.)
Information
Suberect plant up to 20 cm tall; stems sometimes reddish and fleshy in life but pale yellow when dry, branched from the base and bearing rhizophores from the lower third. Leaves dimorphic, dark green and said to have metallic reflections ventrally; lateral leaves ovate-oblong, 2.5–3 mm long, 1–1.3 mm wide, acute at the apex, unequal at the base, the acroscopic half-leaf half-ovate to lanceolate, rounded at the base, serrulate or subentire towards the apex, the basiscopic half-leaf narrow to oblong, slightly auriculate at the base, subentire; median leaves elliptic-lanceolate, 1.2–1.9 mm long, 0.6–0.7 mm wide, slightly arcuate, aristate at the apex, the arista 1/4–1/3 (–1/2) of the lamina, subtruncate at the base, ciliolate or denticulate; axillary leaves ovate-lanceolate, 2.2–2.5 mm long, 1–1.2 mm wide, acute at apex, subtruncate at base, subentire or slightly denticulate. Strobili ± 5 mm long, 2.5 mm wide. Sporophylls dimorphic, dorsal green, oblong, 1.3–1.4 mm long, 0.8–0.9 mm wide, often obtuse at apex, serrulate or finely ciliolate, carinate, the keel hyaline ciliolate; ventral hyaline, oblong-lanceolate, 1–1.2 mm long, 0.5–0.6 mm wide, acuminate-aristate at the apex, ciliolate. Megaspores whitish or yellowish, ± 270 µm in diameter, reticulate; microspores vermilion, 35–40 µm in diameter, finely papillate. Fig. 3/6 (page 14).
Distribution
UGANDA Mbale District Mt Elgon, 7 Oct. 1961, Rose 10270!;UGANDA Masaka District Sesse Is., Dawe 78!
Notes
The Dawe specimen bears what appears to be Alston’s initials and a confirmatory tick; the specimen agrees well with Bizzarri’s description.I have found it difficult to distinguish specimens of S. goudotiana lacking stolons. In the field probably all populations will display specimens with stolons but herbarium specimens often lack them. Comparing descriptions the differences seem slight yet none of the specialists has suggested they are related. In S. goudotiana the rhizophores come from the base and the stem leaves are often more spaced; both lateral and median leaves are relatively wider; the dorsal sporophylls are relatively longer and narrower and more acute and the ventral ones longer and wider. The megaspores of S. goudotiana are described as mammillose by Bizzarri and papillose by Alston; those of S. molliceps are reticulate. It is not known how constant the red colour of the lower stem of S. molliceps in life is but this has never been reported in S. goudotiana. Bizzarri includes Kenya in the distribution of S. molliceps but Faden does not mention it in U.K.W.F. Czeladzinski has, however, identified Meinertzhagen s.n., Nandi, Dec. 1904 as S. molliceps which may explain the record from KENYA. I do not know why it is not S. goudotiana. S. molliceps has a much more restricted western distribution than S. goudotiana and its occurrence in our area needs more investigation. The Rose specimen was identified by Czeladzinski and appears to agree.
![Selaginella molliceps Spring [family SELAGINELLACEAE]](/fsi/img/misc/plants/static_thumbs/flora_tropEA_icon96.jpg)