Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.147171
Element CodePPSEL01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumLycophyta
ClassIsoetopsida
OrderSelaginellales
FamilySelaginellaceae
GenusSelaginella
SynonymsLycopodioides apodum(Linnaeus) Kuntze
Other Common Namesmeadow spikemoss (EN)
Concept ReferenceKartesz, 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 CommentsFNA (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
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-04-01
Change Date1984-09-06
Edition Date2024-04-01
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsSelaginella apoda is a wide-ranging perennial fern ally occurring in North America and Central America, from Maine south to Florida and west to Illinois and Texas in the eastern and central United States, and central Mexico south to Guatemala. It is considered to be common throughout much of its range, with more than 600 occurrences in a variety of wet habitats. Threats include hydrologic alteration, development, recreation, succession, silvicultural activities, rights-of-way maintenance activities, and invasive species. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent CommentsSelaginella apoda occurs in North America and Central America, from Maine south to Florida and west to Illinois and Texas in the eastern and central United States, and central Mexico south to Guatemala. Range extent was estimated to be 4.9 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are over 600 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact CommentsAlthough threats are not widely documented, Selaginella apoda is threatened by hydrologic alteration, development, recreation, succession, silvicultural activities, rights-of-way maintenance activities, invasive species, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species.