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Selaginella underwoodii

Hieron.

Underwood's Spikemoss

G5Secure (G5?) Found in 12 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.138307
Element CodePPSEL01190
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumLycophyta
ClassIsoetopsida
OrderSelaginellales
FamilySelaginellaceae
GenusSelaginella
Synonyms
Bryodesma underwoodii(Hieron.) Sojak
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
FNA (1993, vol. 2) and the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I (2016) recognize the family Selaginellaceae with a single genus, Selaginella. Attempts to recognize subgenera (e.g., six in Zhou and Zhang 2015, seven in Weststrand and Korall 2016) lack consistency, and the elevation of subgenera to nineteen genera in Zhou and Zhang (2023) has mixed acceptance. While Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team (2025) treat their fifteen taxa in four genera, Valdespino et al. (2024) provide justification to conserve Selaginellaceae in a single genus with approximately 750 taxa, which the World Flora Online (2025) accepts, following the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group.
Conservation Status
Review Date1989-04-20
Change Date1989-04-20
Range Extent Comments
Southeastern Wyoming and Colorado south to Western Texas, Utah and Arizona (Lellinger 1985).
Ecology & Habitat
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
New MexicoSNRYes
UtahS1Yes
ColoradoS3Yes
TexasSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
WyomingS2Yes
OklahomaS1Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (12)
Arizona (2)
AreaForestAcres
Hell HoleApache-Sitgreaves National Forests15,512
Lower RinconCoronado National Forest3,278
New Mexico (8)
AreaForestAcres
Comales CanyonCarson National Forest4,389
Devils CreekGila National Forest89,916
GallinasSanta Fe National Forest13,208
Guaje CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,104
Hell HoleGila National Forest19,553
PecosCarson National Forest13,436
RendijaSanta Fe National Forest2,176
Sawyers PeakGila National Forest59,743
Utah (1)
AreaForestAcres
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
Wyoming (1)
AreaForestAcres
Laramie PeakMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest28,608
References (9)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1993a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 2. Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xvi + 475 pp.
  2. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  3. Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I. 2016. A Community-Derived Classification for Extant Lycophytes and Ferns. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 54(6): 563–603.
  4. Valdespino, I.A., Korall, P., Weststrand, S., López, C.A., Tang, J.Y., Shalimov, A., and X.C. Zhang. 2024. Rebuttal to “(2943) Proposal to conserve <i>Selaginella</i>, nom. cons.,(Selaginellaceae) with a conserved type”: An unwarranted and disruptive idea. Taxon 73(2): 573-585.
  5. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).
  6. Weststrand, S., and P. Korall. 2016. A subgeneric classification of <i>Selaginella</i> (Selaginellaceae). American Journal of Botany 103(12): 2160-2169.
  7. World Flora Online (WFO). 2025. Selaginellaceae Willk. Online. Available: <a href="http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-7000000562">http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-7000000562</a>. Accessed on 24 April 2025.
  8. Zhou, X.M., and L.B. Zhang. 2015. A classification of <i>Selaginella</i> (Selaginellaceae) based on molecular (chloroplast and nuclear), macromorphological, and spore features. Taxon 64(6): 1117-1140.
  9. Zhou, X.M. and L.B. Zhang. 2023. Phylogeny, character evolution, and classification of Selaginellaceae (lycophytes). Plant Diversity 45(6): 630-684.