Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Lycopodiopsida > Selaginellales > Selaginellaceae > Selaginella > S. delicatula

Description: Terrestrial herbs with sub erect or erect stem, to 50 cm long, to 2 mm thick, stout, pale green, rooting at base only. Rhizophores stout, branched. Branches many, alternate, trichotomous. Leaves heteromorphic, scattered on the main stem, closely arranged in four rows on branches; median leaves ovate-lanceolate, 2-2.2 x 0.8-1 mm, entire aristate, arista less than half the length of leaf; lateral leaves 2.5 x 1-1.5 mm, oblong, acute, base oblique, entire or slightly denticulate towards apex; axillary leaves 2.5 x 1.2 mm, oboavte, oblique, acute, serrulate towards apex. Strobili 10-16 x 1-1.5 mm, tetragonous; sporophylls monomorphic; 1.5-1.7 x 0.5-0.7 mm, ovate-elliptic, acute. Megasporangia towards base and microsporangia towards apex. Microspores 30 mm in diameter, bright yellow-orange, tetrahedral, trilete, verrucoid. Macrospores 340 µm in diameter, creamy-white, tetrahedral, verrucose.

Flowering and Fruiting :

Uses: Selaginella species are used as food, medicinally, for handicrafts and as ornamentals.

Cultivation : Wild

References

http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

https://indiabiodiversity.org