Selaginella pygmaea

Selaginellaceae

Selaginella pygmaea (Kaulf.) Alston

Link to Australian Plant Name Index for publication details and synonyms: https://id.biodiversity.org.au/name/apni/177655

Annual plants, tufted; stems 10–25 (–35) cm tall, slender, several, often much-branched, arising from a short horizontal rhizome; roots many, filamentous. Leaves lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, c. 0.5 mm long and well-spaced towards stem base, 1–1.3 mm long and 0.3 mm wide above, contiguous or overlapping, decurrent at base, herbaceous, mid-green; margins entire; apex acute or slightly acuminate. Strobili terminal on branches, 1.5–2 cm long; sporophylls ovate, 1.3 mm long, keeled, long-attenuate to a fine, acute point, spreading at maturity; margins entire. Megaspores 250–350 µm diam., reticulate. Microspores 30–45 µm diam., rugose or with fine reticulate ridges. 

NE QLD, N NT, N WA. Also in Africa.

Damp situations, often in sandy soils, especially in coastal heathlands; also in sclerophyll forests.