Selaginella sibirica : Siberian Spikemoss

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Pteridophyta (spore bearing)

Class: Lycopodiopsida (club-moss class)

Family: Selaginellaceae (Spikemoss Family)

Genera: Selaginella (Spikemoss) (Lat. diminutive of selago = little club-moss)

Species: sibirica (Siberian)

English Name(s):

Siberian Spikemoss,

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Stems prostrate (on the ground), with erect branches.
• Very small, forming open loose mats.

Leaves:

• About 2.7mm long, tipped with white hairs, bristly-looking.

Reproductive Parts:

• Strobili (spore cones) erect, four-sided, borne as extension of erect branches.
• Sporangia-bearing fertile leaves are 3-4 times wider than the non-fertile leaves, broadly triangular, in 4 vertical rows.
• Strobili are made of specialized fertile leaves bearing the sporangia (spore-producing organs).

Seed:

• Of two types: microspores (male spores) and megaspores (female spores).

Not to Be Confused With:

• Mosses; this very small plant can be mistaken for a moss, until one knows what it is.

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial
• Spores develop into a thallus, and are fertilized before being shed.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Evergreen
• Spores produced in late July.

Animal Uses:

Habitat:

• Dry, gravely, rocky sites on ridge tops and rock outcroppings.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

• Some first nations wore the fresh plants on their clothes to prevent sickness.

Industrial:

Medicinal:

• Plants were placed on the head as a headache remedy, or were boiled in water and the strained, cooled liquid used as a medicinal eye wash.

Food: