Volume 3 > Part 1 > Year 1979 > Page 16–17 > Selaginellaceae > Selaginella

1. Selaginella ostenfeldii Hieron.

Bull. Herb. Boissier. 2. 5: 721. 1905; Hosseus. Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 28(2): 367. 1911; Alston in Fl. Indo-Chine 7(2): 567. f. 67. 1–7. 1951; Tagawa & K.Iwats., S.E. Asian Stud. 5: 29. 1967.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Synonyms & Citations :

Description : Rhizome creeping, about 3 mm in diameter, densely covered with scaly leaves; leaves on rhizome brown, oblong, rond at apex, fimbriate at margin; main stems erect, forked at 15–50 cm above rhizome, 1–3 mm in diameter near base, sparsely bearing the leaves, stramineous, glabrous; both branches of the forked stem pinnate; main lateral branches tripinnate, the ultimate branches 2–5 mm broad. Ventral leaves patent or ascending, oblong subquadrangular, falcate, acute at apex, subcordate at base, 1–3.5 mm long, 0.5–1.2 mm board; the margin more or less involute, bearing setae of more than 0.3 mm in length; texture soft herbaceous, green to deep green; dorsal leaves narrowly ovate, acuminate at apex round to cuneate at base, ciliate at margin, to 2 mm on main lateral branches. Spikes about 1.2 mm in diameter; sporophylls ovate with long acuminate apex, densely ciliate.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai (Doi Suthep, Mae Klang, Doi Inthanon, Ban Klang, Mae Lan, Bo Luang), Mae Hong Son (Mae La Noi), Lampang (Doi Phalat, Huai Thak, Mae Ngao, Mae Mo), Lamphun (Doi Khun Tan), Phrae (Mae Ban), Tak (Lan Sang, Rahaeng, Wang Chao – type), Nakhon Sawan (Ban Takhli); NORTH-EASTERN: Loei (Phu Kradueng); SOUTH-WESTERN: Kanchanaburi (Khao Tong), Prachuap Khiri Khan (Khao Nam Tok, Hua Hin, Thap Sakae); PENNINSULAR: Surat Thani (Khao Pak Chong).

Distribution : Burma (Shan State and Moulmein) and Indochina (Cochin-china and Cambodia).

Ecology : Terrestrial on rather dry slope in deciduous or mixed forests, at lower to middle altitudes (to 1,400 m on Doi Inthanon).

Vernacular : Phak khwa (ผักควา)(Northern); moi sao kae (มอยสาวแก่)(Northeastern).

Notes: It is interesting to trace the gradual changes from the scaly leaves on the rhizome to the green leaves on the foliose portions. On the lower portions of erect stems, there are green leaves oblong in outline with fimbriate margins. The upper leaves are acute with entrie margins bearing long setose hairs.