Selaginella tortipila is a species of clubmoss in the family Selaginellaceae.[2][3] It is referred to by the common names twistedhair spikemoss[4] or kinky-hair spike-moss,[5] and is a member of an early diverging group of plants. It is native to the Southeastern United States where it is found in a small area in the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont. It is found on granite or sandstone rock outcrop communities, often at high elevation.[6]

Selaginella tortipila

Vulnerable  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Lycophytes
Class: Lycopodiopsida
Order: Selaginellales
Family: Selaginellaceae
Genus: Selaginella
Species:
S. tortipila
Binomial name
Selaginella tortipila
Synonyms[2]

Bryodesma tortipilum (A.Braun) Soják
Selaginella rupestris var. sherwoodii (Underw.) Clute
Selaginella rupestris var. tortipila Underw.
Selaginella sherwoodii Underw.

Selaginella tortipila is a rather distinct species of spikemoss, and likely has no close relatives in the North American flora. It has been placed in the Bryodesma group, along with Selaginella rupestris.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "Selaginella tortipila". NatureServe. Retrieved 2014-05-17.
  2. ^ a b "Selaginella tortipila A.Braun". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  3. ^ "Selaginella tortipila A. Braun". World Flora Online. The World Flora Online Consortium. n.d. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  4. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Selaginella tortipila". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  5. ^ a b Flora of North America
  6. ^ Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States