Selaginella rupestris (L.) Spring
rock selaginella (northern selaginella)
Selaginellaceae (Spike-moss family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
rock selaginella (northern selaginella)
Selaginellaceae (Spike-moss family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Photograph
© Margaret Krichbaum (Photo ID #89622)
Species Information
General:
Evergreen perennial forming long or spreading mats, or rarely cushionlike mats, up to 6 cm in diameter and 1.5-4 cm tall.
Leaves:
Linear or linear-lanceolate, 2.5-4 (4.5) mm long, 0.5-0.6 mm wide, in alternate pseudowhorls of 4 (on lateral branches) and 6 (on main stem), margins fringed with long hairs, the hairs transparent, spreading with white, whitish or transparent, short-hairy, 0.5-1 (1.5) mm long bristle tips.
Cones:
Unstalked, strongly quadrangular, 0.5-3.5 mm long. 1-1.25 mm wide; sporophylls narrowly triangular; margins fringed or slightly toothed with long bristle tips.
Notes:
This species was discovered in 2001 in the Peace River area and is a western range extension of the species in North America (Douglas et al. 2002).
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Selaginella rupestris
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
2213 | 2040 | 2450 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
59 | 59 | 59 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
225 | 225 | 225 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
3 | 3 | 3 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
|||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
3 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
ESSF | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
AT(1), ESSF(1) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Dry grassy ridges in the montane zone; rare in NE BC, known only from the lower Peace River; N to NT, E to PQ and NB and S to ME, NY, NC, GA, MS, AR, OK and WY.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Lycopodium rupestre L.