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Selaginella utahensis

Flowers

Utah Spikemoss

G2Imperiled (G2Q) Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.146596
Element CodePPSEL011A0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumLycophyta
ClassIsoetopsida
OrderSelaginellales
FamilySelaginellaceae
GenusSelaginella
Synonyms
Bryodesma utahense(Flowers) Skoda & Holub
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.

Selaginella utahensis is closely related to S. leucobryoides, with small differences in the leaf morphology. Their ranges also overlap and Flora North America vol. 2 (1993) authors also say that not only do their ranges overlap but the morphologic expressions do as well. More study is needed to determine if these are indeed separate species or should be considered one.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-05-05
Change Date2025-05-05
Edition Date2025-05-05
Edition AuthorsRoth, E., D. Atwood, rev. J. Morefield, rev. B. Franklin (1996), rev. L. Oliver (2012), rev. N. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent1000-5000 square km (about 400-2000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Selaginella utahensis is a perennial spikemoss occurring in dry sandstone crevices and protected ledges in sagebrush, oakbrush, pinyon-juniper, and ponderosa pine communities of the western United States, where it is found in Clark County, Nevada, and Kane and Washington counties of Utah. There are an estimated twenty occurrences of this species, with most occurring on protected lands within Zion National Park in Utah. Threats to Selaginella utahensis are largely unknown, but may include recreational impacts and climate change. Selaginella utahensis overlaps in range and characteristics with the closely-related S. leucobryoides and may not be distinct; further research is needed.
Range Extent Comments
Selaginella utahensis occurs in the western United States, in Clark County, Nevada and Kane and Washington counties, Utah (FNA 1993, Welsh et al. 2015). In Nevada, Selaginella utahensis was known historically from southern parts of the state in the Spring Mountains region (Kartesz 1988). A collection from 2005 also confirms this species in the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness region to the west of Las Vegas (John C. Brinda 115 (MO)) (SEINet 2025). An unconfirmed specimen from outside of the known range of this species in Salt Lake County (L.Shultz 19701 (USU)) was omitted from calculations. Range extent was estimated using data from the Utah Rare Plant Database, herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (UNHP 2021, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to data from the Utah Rare Plant Database, herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are 20 occurrences rangewide (UNHP 2021, GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Selaginella utahensis are not well documented. In Zion National Park, threats are presumed to be low and populations stable (Alexander 2016), though recreational impacts are possible. Because this species occurs on cliffs, it could be also vulnerable to decreased moisture availability and other microhabitat changes as a result of climate change.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Selaginella utahensis is found in dry sandstone crevices in sandy or clay soils from 1300-2300 m in elevation (FNA 1993). In Utah, it occurs
in the shade of crevices and protected ledges on Navajo Sandstone in sagebrush, oakbrush, pinyon-juniper, and ponderosa pine communities (Welsh et al. 2015). According to Flowers (1952), in Zion National Park, Utah, "the best displays are found on sandstone ledges, particularly when there is an over-hanging ledge above, so that the plant grows outward from a little cavern between the two layers of rock."
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferWoodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
UtahS2Yes
NevadaS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownUnknown
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownUnknown
11 - Climate change & severe weatherUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationUnknownUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
Utah (2)
AreaForestAcres
CottonwoodDixie National Forest6,754
Pine Valley MountainsDixie National Forest57,673
References (23)
  1. Albee, B.J., L.M. Shultz, and S. Goodrich. 1988. Atlas of the vascular plants of Utah. Utah Museum Natural History Occasional Publication 7, Salt Lake City, Utah. 670 pp.
  2. Alexander, J. 2016. The Utah Native Plant Society Rare Plant List: Version 2. Calochortiana. 3: 1-248.
  3. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1993b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 1. Introduction. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxi + 372 pp.
  4. Flowers, S.1952. Additional Notes on <i>Selaginella Utahensis</i>. American Fern Journal 42(2): 58-60.
  5. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  6. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  7. Kartesz, J.T. 1988. A flora of Nevada. Ph.D. dissertation. Univ. of Nevada, Reno. 3 volumes. 1729 pp.
  8. 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.
  9. Lellinger, D.B. 1985. A field manual of the ferns and fern-allies of the U.S. and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. 389 pp.
  10. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  11. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  12. Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group I. 2016. A Community-Derived Classification for Extant Lycophytes and Ferns. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 54(6): 563–603.
  13. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  14. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). 2024. Gap Analysis Project (GAP) Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.0: U.S. Geological Survey data release. Online. Available: https://doi.org/10.5066/P96WBCHS (accessed 2025).
  15. Utah Native Plant Society (UNPS). 2025. 2016-2025 UNPS Utah Rare Plant Master List . Online. Available: www.utahrareplants.org/rpg_species.html (Accessed 2025).
  16. Utah Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Utah Rare Plant Database. (Accessed 2021).
  17. 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.
  18. 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).
  19. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins. (Eds). 2015. A Utah flora, fifth edition, revised 2015. Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Provo, Utah. 987 pp.
  20. Weststrand, S., and P. Korall. 2016. A subgeneric classification of <i>Selaginella</i> (Selaginellaceae). American Journal of Botany 103(12): 2160-2169.
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. Zhou, X.M. and L.B. Zhang. 2023. Phylogeny, character evolution, and classification of Selaginellaceae (lycophytes). Plant Diversity 45(6): 630-684.