4 Fig. 1 FERNS <strong>and</strong> ALLIED PLANTS FDRV1 March 2011
FERNS <strong>and</strong> ALLIED PLANTS 5 About 40 species in temperate <strong>and</strong> tropical regions <strong>of</strong> the world, with five species in Australia <strong>and</strong> one in the N.T. The genus is closely related to <strong>and</strong> sometimes included in Lycopodium L. L. cernua (L.) Pic. Serm. Lycopodium cernuum L. Main stem stout, trailing, rooting at intervals. Determinate stems erect or climbing, to 100 cm tall <strong>and</strong> to 0.4 cm diam., the lower part simple, the upper part much-branched. Leaves subwhorled or spirally arranged, somewhat linear or narrowly triangular, 2–5 mm long, 0.2–0.5 mm wide, acuminate, yellowish or green. Strobili 3–10 mm long, 2–2.5 mm diam., nodding, on the ends <strong>of</strong> ultimate branchlets. Sporophylls somewhat ovate, 1.3–2 mm long, 0.5–1 mm wide, imbricate, SELAGINELLACEAE P.S. Short margins finely toothed. Fertile <strong>plants</strong>: throughout the year. Fig. 2 (Cowie 5450; Wightman 645); Pl. 1 (unvouchered). Pantropical species <strong>and</strong> widespread in Australia (W.A., N.T., Qld, N.S.W.). In the N.T. confined to northern regions, with the most southerly collection from Wollogorang Station. Common in the D.R. where it grows in permanently wet areas such as swamps, seepage areas <strong>and</strong> the banks <strong>of</strong> creeks in rainforest. Plants terrestrial or sometimes epiphytic, mostly perennial, heterosporous. Roots produced at the end <strong>of</strong> rhizophores (leafless branches). Stems creeping to erect, usually dichotomously branched <strong>and</strong> sometimes appearing pinnate. Leaves simple, monomorphic or dimorphic, decussate or spirally arranged, ligulate, with 1 central vein. Sporophylls terminal on stem <strong>and</strong> branches <strong>and</strong> normally aggregated into stroboli. Sporangia solitary in axils <strong>of</strong> the sporophylls; megasporangia assuming the shape <strong>of</strong> the 4 large spores developed therein; microsporangia kidney-shaped to globose, with numerous microspores. Megaspores trilete, 200–800 μm diam., <strong>of</strong>ten rugose-reticulate. Microspores trilete, 20–60 μm diam., echinate to rugose. A monogeneric family. Taxonomic reference: Jermy & Holmes (1998). SELAGINELLA P. Beauv. A genus <strong>of</strong> c. 700 species, with ten or 11 species in Australia. 1 Sterile leaves dimorphic ............................................................................................... S. ciliaris 1: Sterile leaves monomorphic ........................................................................................ S. pygmaea S. ciliaris (Retz.) Spring Lycopodium ciliare Retz. Plants with the main stem creeping, to 10 cm long <strong>and</strong> branching <strong>and</strong> rooting throughout its length; branches leafy, ascending to erect, to c. 5 cm long. Leaves dimorphic, with median leaves directed along the axis <strong>and</strong> manifestly smaller than the lateral leaves which spread at an angle to the axis. Median leaves appressed, ovate to narrowly ovate, 0.9–1.7 mm long, 0.5–0.95 mm wide, base asymmetrical, apex acute to acuminate, margins entire or with minute, widely spaced teeth. Lateral leaves somewhat ovate, asymmetric, 1.5–2.9 mm long, 0.8–1.5 mm wide, bases with or without scattered cilia, the upper margins not or slightly toothed. Strobili 5–15 mm long; sporophylls in the median position symmetrical or almost so, ovate, acute to acuminate, the margins with a few rigid cilia; sporophylls in the lateral position asymmetrical, somewhat ovate, obtuse to acute, the margins with a few minute teeth. Megaspores c. 210–280 μm diam., surface faintly reticulate, verrucose. Microspores c. 20–40 μm diam., surface granulose to tuberculose. Fertile <strong>plants</strong>: Feb.–Sept. Fig. 2 (Parker 884). FDRV1 March 2011