Selaginella asperula Spring

Smith, Alan R. & Kessler, Michael, 2018, Prodromus of a fern flora for Bolivia. III. Selaginellaceae, Phytotaxa 344 (3), pp. 248-258 : 251

Selaginella asperula Spring , in Martius, Fl. Bras. 1(2): 127. 1840.

Range: —Amazonian Venezuela and Brazil to Bolivia (BE, LP, PA).

Ecology: —Fairly common; terrestrial, forms colonies in humid forests, on steep slopes, road banks, streamsides, and on rocks; to 1000 m.

Notes: —This is the only Bolivian Selaginella with erect, articulate stems; it also has a diffuse, slender, dichotomous branching pattern with small, strongly imbricate leaves.

Selaginella conduplicata Spring , from the Guianas to Amazonian Peru and Brazil, is likely to occur in Bolivia. It differs from S. asperula by having long, spur-like auricles (vs. auricles lacking) on the axillary leaves. The overall habit is reminiscent of S. anceps .

Selaginella geniculata (C.Presl) Spring , from Colombia to southern Peru, may also occur in northern Bolivia. It has zigzag main stems, and median leaves with a single oblong, entire (or nearly so) basal auricle (vs. ± straight stems).