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Selaginella eclipes — hidden spikemoss

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Facts

Hidden spikemoss is distributed from the Midwest through northwestern New York and into eastern Ontario and Quebec. It is very rare in New England, being found in a few sites in western Connecticut and one historical record in western Massachusetts. It prefers moist to wet sites on calcareous soils.

Habitat

Meadows and fields, swamps

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
  • terrestrial
  • wetlands
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
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)
Show all characteristics
  • 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 mm
    Leaf orientation
    the vegetative leaves spread away from the stem
    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
    • Massachusetts
    Specific habitat
    • meadows or fields
    • swamps
  • 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
    10–40 mm
    Number of cones
    1
    Quillwort itssue covering spores
    NA
    Same or different spores
    there are two different types of spores present
    Spore diameter
    0.33–0.4
    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 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)
    Sterile tip of cone
    the spore cone does not have a slender, sterile tip (the whole cone produces spores)
  • 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)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
absent
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
absent
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
absent

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Connecticut
unrankable (S-rank: SU)
Massachusetts
historical (S-rank: SH), #NAME? (code: #NAME?)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

2.  Selaginella eclipes W.R. Buck NC

hidden spikemoss. CT, MA; western counties only. Mesic to hydric meadows and swamps, rarely on rock, habitat usually influenced by high-pH bedrock.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Selaginella apoda

Genus

Selaginella