Selaginella aitchisonii Hieron.

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 aitchisonii Hieron.

Selaginella aitchisonii Hieron., Nat. Pflanzenfam. 1(4): 674. 1902; Dixit 1992; Thapa 2002; Fraser-Jenkins et al. 2015; Fraser-Jenkins et al. 2017.

≡ Selaginella sanguinolenta f. aitchisonii (Hieron.) Alston, Proc. Nat. Inst. Sci. India 11(3): 215. 1945. Type. PAKISTAN. Kurram Valley, Shend Toi, J.E.T. Aitchison 369 (syntype: B [20 0121871]; K, CAL); KYRGYZSTAN. Turkestan, Akburtaseh, A. Regel 1878 (syntype: B [20 0121870]); KYRGYZSTAN. Turkestan, Musart-Thal., A. Regel 1877 (syntype: B [20 0121869]).

Description.

Stems 10-25 cm, erect, slender. Rhizophores restricted to the basal part of stems, located on ventral side. Main stems branches from near bases, lateral branches dichotomously compound. Main stems terete, reddish, in basal part main stem 1.0-1.1 mm in diam. Axillary leaves symmetrical, ovate-oblong, carinate, at base obtuse, margin hyaline, at base denticulate, in middle and upper part entire, apex acuminate. Leaves isomorphic, slightly asymmetrical, ovate-lanceolate, uniauriculate at base, obtuse, peltate, margin hyaline, denticulate at base, entire in middle and upper part, apex mucronate to acuminate. Strobili solitary, terminal, compact, tetrahedral, 6.0-10.0 × 1.0-2.0 mm, slightly wider branches. Sporophylls monomorphic, ovate, truncate at base, strongly keeled, apex mucronate to acute. Megaspores yellow, irregular verrucate. Microspores deep yellow, surface rugulose-tuberculate, with perispore on surface.

Ecology.

On mossy rocks. Alt. 2200-3400 m.

Distribution in Nepal.

W.

Nepalese threatened status: VU, globally threatened ( Fraser-Jenkins et al. 2015).

General distribution.

AFGHANISTAN, INDIA (Jammu and Kashmir), KYRGYZSTAN, PAKISTAN.

Chromosome number.

not available data.

Selected specimens examined:

W Nepal: HUMLA: "Phal Ko Odar to Pipling, on mossy stone. 2600 m, 6 Jun 1980, P.R. Shakya & B. Roy 5514 " (KATH).

Note.

Selaginella aitchisonii is morphologically closely related to the widespread S. sanguinolenta , a species complex consists of several morphological variable forms which might be recognised as distinct species pending our molecular phylogentic analysis (data not published).