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Selaginella imbricata
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Photo: Petra Ballings
SRGH
Photo: Petra Ballings
SRGH
Photo: Petra Ballings
SRGH
Photo: John Laing
Elephant Camp, Zambezi Gorges
Photo: John Laing
Elephant Camp, Zambezi Gorges
Photo: John Laing
Elephant Camp, Zambezi Gorges
Photo: Bart Wursten
Edge of Batoka Gorge, Victoria Falls National Park near Elephant Camp.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Edge of Batoka Gorge, Victoria Falls National Park near Elephant Camp.
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Lycopodium imbricatum Forsk. |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Plants 5-30 cm high, branched in the upper half and each branch again branching 2 or 3 times, deltoid to ovate-lanceolate in outline, branchlets and leaves curling inwards when dry. Stems erect, tufted or closely spaced, 1 to 3 from a stout, shortly creeping rhizome. Leaves green on upper surface, pale creamy green through beige to almost silvery grey on lower surface, dimorphic, closely overlapping. Upper leaves up to 1.6 × 0.7 mm, ovate to oblong-lanceolate in outline, apex rounded, margin toothed, hyaline. Lateral leaves 1.8-2 × 1.0-1.2 mm, asymmetrically broadly ovate in outline, apex pointed, base adnate to the stem, margin lacerate-serrate and hyaline. Strobili 5-11 mm long, at tips of ultimate branches, male below, female above. Sporophylls uniform, ovate, pointed, margin toothed, smaller and more contracted than the sterile leaves. |
| Notes: | A very distinctive species, with erect stems and discolorous leaves, that should not be confused with any other Selaginella. |
| Derivation of specific name: | imbricata: overlapping, refers to the strictly overlapping arrangement of the leaves. |
| Habitat: | Lithophyte on basalt rock, in dry deciduous woodland at the base of rocks or in rock crevices. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 490 - 900 m |
| Worldwide distribution: | Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Eswatini, Zambia, Zimbabwe. |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,E |
| Growth form(s): | Lithophyte. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | Lower Risk - least concern |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Wednesday 20 July 2022 |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. (1990). Southern African Ferns and Fern Allies. Frandsen, Sandton. Page 26. (Includes a picture). Crouch, N.R., Klopper, R.R., Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2011). Ferns of Southern Africa, A comprehensive guide Struik Nature Pages 88 - 89. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 15. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 177. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1983). The Ferns and Fern Allies of Southern Africa. Butterworths, Durban and Pretoria. Pages 144 - 145. (Includes a picture). Kornas, J. (1979). Distribution and ecology of the Pteridophytes in Zambia Polska Akademia Nauk Wydzial II Nauk Biologicznych Page 32. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 10. Roux, J.P. (2001). Conspectus of Southern African Pteridophyta. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report 13 Page 26. Roux, J.P. (2009). Synopsis of the Lycopodiophyta and Pteridophyta of Africa, Madagascar and neighbouring islands Page 24. Schelpe, E.A.C.L.E. (1970). Pteridophyta Flora Zambesiaca Pages 25 - 26. |
Other sources of information about Selaginella imbricata:
Our websites:
Flora of Mozambique: Selaginella imbricataFlora of Zambia: Selaginella imbricata
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Selaginella imbricataBHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Selaginella imbricata
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Selaginella imbricata
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Selaginella imbricata
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Selaginella imbricata
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Selaginella imbricata
JSTOR Plant Science: Selaginella imbricata
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Selaginella imbricata
Plants of the World Online: Selaginella imbricata
Tropicos: Selaginella imbricata
Wikipedia: Selaginella imbricata
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