Selaginella vaginata Spring, 1850

Shalimov, Aleksandr Petrovich, Wu, Yu-Dong & Zhang, Xian-Chun, 2019, A taxonomic revision of the genus Selaginella (Selaginellaceae) from Nepal, PhytoKeys 133, pp. 1-76 : 1

Selaginella vaginata Spring Figs 7 (2 A–C), 10I , 31

Selaginella vaginata Spring, Mém. Acad. Roy. Sci. Belgique 24: 87. 1850; Iwatsuki 1975; Iwatsuki 1988; Dixit 1992; Thapa 2002; Zhang 2004; Zhang et al. 2013; Fraser-Jenkins et al. 2015; Fraser-Jenkins et al. 2017.

≡ Lycopodioides vaginata (Spring) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 1: 827. 1891. Type. (lectotype, designated by Fraser-Jenkins et al. 2017) INDIA. NE India, Meghalaya, Khasiya (Khasia) [cited by Spring as “Gorval” i. e. Garhwal, Uttarakhand, in error], W. Griffith (K). Also cited as syntypes were Bhutan, "Bootan, W. Griffith" (K); and South India, Tamil Nadu, "Nelligheries [Nilgiris], G.S. Perottet 642 (P [= S. radicata ]).

= Selaginella thomsonii Hieron, Hedwigia 43: 38. 1904. Type. INDIA. India orientalis: habitat in montibus Khasia, alt. s.m. 4-6000 feet, regione temperate, J.D. Hooker et T. Thomson (holotype: K?; isotype: B [20 0176901]).

Description.

Stems 3.5-10 cm, creeping, fertile stems erect. Rhizophores restricted at intervals throughout length of creeping stem and branches and to lower part of erect fertile branches, borne on ventral side in axils of branches. Main stems branched throughout, 0.2-0.4 mm in diam. in lower part. Stem stramineous, terete, sulcate or not, branches few; erect fertile stems pinnately branched throughout. Axillary leaves ovate-triangular, 1.2-2.5 × 0.5-1.5 mm, base exauriculate, margin ciliolate in basal part, subentire in middle and upper part. Ventral leaves ovate-lanceolate or oblong-falcate, 1.6-3.2 × 0.8-1.5 mm, basiscopic base rounded, margin denticulate in basal half, denticulate upward; acroscopic base endlanged, broadly overlapping stem and branches, margin ciliolate, sparsely long ciliolate at base, apex acute. Dorsal leaves ovate-lanceolate, 0.8-2.3 × 0.4-1.1 mm, imbricate, base subcordate, cuneate, or obtuse, not peltate, margin long ciliolate at base, shortly ciliolate (rarely long ciliolate) upward, apex acuminate or aristate. Strobili solitary or in pairs, terminal, 10 –15(– 40) × 2-3.5 mm. Sporophylls dimorphic or slightly dimorphic, dorsal sporophylls ovate-lanceolate, margin ciliolate or denticulate, apex acuminate; ventral sporophylls ovate-lanceolate, margin denticulate or ciliolate, apex acuminate. Megaspores yellowish, surface verrucate; microspores orange, surface verrucate and rugate.

Ecology.

Terrestrial or epilithic, forming a carpet on vertical banks and rocks evergreen or seasonally green. Alt. 500-2900 m.

Distribution in Nepal.

W, C, E.

Nepalese threatened status: not available data.

General distribution.

BANGLADESH, BHUTAN, CAMBODIA, CHINA (Beijing, Chongqing, S Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Henan, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan), INDIA (Assam State, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Odisha, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal), LAOS, MYANMAR, PAKISTAN, THAILAND, VIETNAM.

Chromosome number.

Not available data.

Selected specimens examined:

C Nepal: KASKI: "Mahendra Cave, Pokhara, alt. c. 700 m, 11 Nov 1988, T. Nakaike 3829 " (PE).

MAKAWANPUR: "[Pisulin] Fishling, near Mugling, Gorkha, alt. c. 300 m, 12 Nov 1988, T. Nakaike 3830 " (PE).

PALPA/SYANGJA: "Angahora, between Butwal and Pokhara, alt. c. 650 m, 9 Nov 1988, T. Nakaike 3732 " (PE); "Bategora, between Butwal and Pokhara, alt. c. 700 m, 9 Nov 1988, T. Nakaike 3736 " (PE).

RAMECHAP: "between Bhandar and Kenja, alt. 2100-1700 m, 7 Oct 1988, T. Nakaike 3160 " (PE).

KATHMANDU: "near Tribhuwan Airport, alt. c. 1300 m, 15 Sep 1986, T. Nakaike 1506 " (PE); "Nagarjun, alt. c. 1400 m, 26 Aug 1986, T. Nakaike 1102 " (PE); "Swayambhunath, alt. c. 1400 m, 7 Oct 1986, T. Nakaike 2429 " (PE).

CHITAWAN: "Muglin [Mugling] (between Kathmandu and Pokhara), alt. c. 280 m, 26 Sep 1986, T. Nakaike 1929 " (PE).

E Nepal: SOLUKHUMBU: "near Junbesi, Solukhumbu, alt. c. 2900 m, 20 Oct 1988, T. Nakaike 3453 " (PE); "Karodo, near Kenja, Solukumbu, alt. c. 1750 m, 22 Oct 1988, T. Nakaike 3505" (PE); "Karodo, near Kenja, Solukumbu, alt. c. 1750 m, 22 Oct 1988, T. Nakaike 3495 " (PE).

TAPLEJUNG: "Shewaden (2600 m)-Mewa Khola (2100 m)-Papung (2000 m), along path in light shade, alt. c. 2200 m, 26 Jun 1972, H. Kanai et al. 725351 " (TI, photo; KYO, photo); "Ghatte-Khebang, 19 Nov 1963, H. Hara et al." (TI, photo); "Bharomdin-Tharpu, 25 Nov 1963, H. Hara et al." (KYO, photo); "Selap-Zongi-Walunchung Gola, 10 Nov 1963, H. Kanai et al. s.n." (KYO, photo); "Ghatte-Khebang, 19 Nov 1963, H. Hara et al."(KYO, photo).

SANKHUWASABHA: "Papung-Bir Gaon, along path in light shade, alt. 1600-2000 m, 30 Jun 1972, H. Kanai et al. 7253393 " (TI); "Papung (2000 m)-Bir Gaon (1600 m)-Sangrati Pati (1050 m), alt. 1300 m, 26 Aug 1977, H. Ohashi et al. 772767 " (TI, photo); "Papung 2000 m-Bir Gaon 1600 m, 30 Jun 1972, H. Kanai et al. 725393 [873274]" (KYO, photo).

ILAM: "Mai Majuwa-Mai Pokhari-Dhara Pani, 4 Dec 1963, H. Hara et al." (KYO, photo); "Bilbatay Bhanjang-Tinjuray-Hati Sar, 27 Oct 1963, H. Hara et al. s.n." (KYO, photo);

BHOJPUR: "Birgaon 1600 m-Suju Khola 1400 m-Dingla 1000 m, 1 Jul 1972, H. Kanai et al. 725426 " (KYO, photo); "Dingla 1000 m-Doban 800 m, on muddy rock along path in shade, 2 Jul 1972, H. Kanai et al. 725456 " (KYO, photo); "Birgaon-Dingla, alt. 1600-1000 m, 01 Jul 1972, K. Ohashi et al. 725426 " (E00670675).

DHANKUTA: "Teku Nala 800 m-Tamur Bridge 300 m, 9 Jul 1972, H. Kanai et al. 725511 " (KYO, photo); "Dhankuta, 26°50'N, 87°20'E, alt. 400 m, 11 Oct 1971, J.F. Dobremez DBR NEP 1370 " (E00670683).

SUNSARI: "Dharan, 26°49'N, 87°18'E, alt. 600 m, 13 Aug 1972, J.F. Dobremez DBR NEP 1442 " (E00670587).

Figures

Figure 7. Morphological diversity of the leaves of Nepalese Sealginella species 1 A-C S. repanda (Nakaike 3708, PE) 2 A-C S. vaginata (Nakaike 1102, PE) 3 A-C S. chrysorrhizos (Nakaike 3708, PE). A - Axillary leaves, B - Dorsal leaves, C - Ventral leaves. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 10. Diversity strobili of Nepalese Selaginella species A S. laxistrobila (Nakaike 1319, PE) B S. bisulcata (Nakaike 3786, PE) C S. pennata (Nakaike 3507, PE) D S. chrysocaulos (Nakaike 1058, PE) E S. ciliaris (s. n. 1225, PE) F S. monospora (Tabata et al. 11051, PE) G S. trichophylla (Lu & Zhang 27625 - B, PE) H S. repanda (Nakaike 3708, PE) I S. vaginata (Nakaike 1102, PE). Scale bars: 2 mm (A, B), 2 mm (C, D, G, H), 1 mm (E, F, I).

Figure 31. Selaginella vaginata Spring A Habit B strobilus, lower surface C fragment of the upper surface of the lateral branches D fragment of the lower surface of the lateral branches (T. Nakaike 1102, PE).