Selaginella apoda — meadow spikemoss
![Shoots: Selaginella apoda. ~ By Elizabeth Farnsworth. ~ Copyright © 2023 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Selaginellaceae/selaginella-apoda-sh-efarnsworth.jpg)
![Vegetative leaves: Selaginella apoda. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2023 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Selaginellaceae/selaginella-apoda-tr-ahaines-c.jpg)
![Vegetative leaves: Selaginella apoda. ~ By Cheryl Lowe. ~ Copyright © 2023 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Selaginellaceae/selaginella-apoda-tr-clowe.jpg)
![Branches: Selaginella apoda. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2023 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Selaginellaceae/selaginella-apoda-br-ahaines-a.jpg)
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeFacts
The stems of meadow spikemoss have two rows of larger leaves and two rows of smaller leaves. The veins in those leaves help distinguish it from a true moss.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields, riverine (in rivers or streams), shores of rivers or lakes
Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf shape
- the vegetative leaves are short and scale-like
- Spore leaf arrangement
- the sporophylls are located on spore cones at the tips of the shoots or branches
- Form of shoot
- NA
- Horizontal stem
- the horizontal stem is on the surface of the ground
- Leaf differences
- the vegetative leaves within a node differ in size and shape
- Teeth on leaf edges
- the edges of the vegetative leaves have tiny teeth
- Leaf outline
-
- the vegetative leaves are widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip (lanceolate)
- the vegetative leaves are widest above the base, then broadly tapering towards the tip (ovate)
-
Clonal plantlets
- Gemma arrangement
- NA
- Gemma shape
- NA
- Gemma width
- 0 mm
-
Leaves
- Leaf differences
- the vegetative leaves within a node differ in size and shape
- Leaf length
- 1–2.25 mm
- Leaf orientation
-
- the vegetative leaves spread away from the stem
- the vegetative leaves spread slightly away from the stem, at a steep angle
- Leaf outline
-
- the vegetative leaves are widest above the base, then taper narrowly towards the tip (lanceolate)
- the vegetative leaves are widest above the base, then broadly tapering towards the tip (ovate)
- Leaf ranks
- 4
- Leaf shape
- the vegetative leaves are short and scale-like
- Pores on leaves
- there are pores on both sides of the vegetative leaves
- Teeth on leaf edges
- the edges of the vegetative leaves have tiny teeth
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- in rivers or streams
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Spores or spore cones
- Cone base at stem
- the base of the spore-cone does not have a distinct stalk
- Cone stalk branching
- NA
- Cone thickness
- 0 mm
- Length of cone
- 10–20 mm
- Number of cones
- 1–2
- Quillwort itssue covering spores
- NA
- Same or different spores
- there are two different types of spores present
- Spore diameter
- 0.29–0.38
- Spore leaf arrangement
- the sporophylls are located on spore cones at the tips of the shoots or branches
- Spore leaf lifespan
- the sporophylls wither and fall off at the end of the growing season
- Spore leaf orientation
- the sporophylls slant upwards at a steep angle
- Spore leaf shape
- the spore-bearing leaves are small and scale-like
- Spore leaf teeth
- the edges of the spore-bearing leaves have tiny teeth
- Spore texture
- the spore surface has a net-like pattern on it (reticulate)
- Sporophyll ranks
- the sporophylls line up to form an X (4 ranks of leaves)
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branch cross-section
- NA
- Branch form
- NA
- Constriction zones
-
- NA
- NA
- Form of shoot
- NA
- Horizontal stem
- the horizontal stem is on the surface of the ground
- Horizontal stem length
- 0 mm
- Horizontal stem thickness
- 0 mm
- Stem height
- 0 mm
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Maine
- rare (S-rank: S2), endangered (code: E)
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
- Vermont
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
Native to North America?
Yes
Synonyms
- Lycopodioides apoda (L.) Kuntze
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
1. Selaginella apoda (L.) Spring in Mart. et al. N
meadow spikemoss. Lycopodioides apoda (L.) Kuntze • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT; nearly throughout but absent from most of ME and northern NH. Stream banks, mesic to wet-mesic meadows and lawns.