Selaginella braunii Baker, Selaginellaceae

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Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk; score: 7 (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment for Selaginella braunii)

Other Latin names:  Lycopodioides braunii (Baker) Kuntze; Selaginella hieronymi Alderw.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Braun's spike-moss, Chinese lace-fern spike-moss, arborvitae-fern, treelet spike-moss

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Plants terrestrial, tree-shaped. Stems erect, highly branched, branches 4-forked, flat, not articulate, hispid. Rhizophores not seen. Leaves rugose. Lateral leaves distant, green, ovate-oblong, 2--2.5 X 0.7--1 mm; base truncate, basiscopically forming very short wing; margins green to slightly transparent, usually revolute, crenate; apex obtuse to rounded. Median leaves lanceolate-oblong to asymmetric, 2--3 X 1 mm; base peltate, rounded; margins green to slightly transparent, usually revolute, crenate; apex long-acuminate. Strobili solitary, 2--8 mm; sporophylls monomorphic, cordate to deltate-ovate, base glabrous, margins green, slightly crenate, apex cuspidate to acuminate. 2 n = 20." (JSTOR)

As (synonym) Lycopodioides braunii (Baker) Kuntze: "Plants terrestrial or epilithic, xerophytic, evergreen or seasonally green, erect, 10-45 cm, with creeping subterranean rhizome and stolons. Rhizophores restricted to creeping rhizomes and stolons, very short. Main stems branched from middle or upper part, pinnately branched, usually stramineous, unbranched main stem (3-)8-13(-25) cm tall, 0.5-2(-3) mm in diam., usually subquadrangular, often pubescent; primary leafy branches 4-8 pairs, 2 or 3 times pinnately branched, branchlets sparse, adjacent primary branches on main stem (3-)5-8(-11) cm apart, leafy branches pubescent on both sides, dorsiventrally flattened, ultimate branches 2.5-4.5 mm wide including leaves. Axillary leaves on branches contiguous or imbricate, narrowly elliptic or falcate, 1.6-2.8 × 0.4-1.2 mm, not carinate, base obliquely decurrent, margin subentire, slightly involute when dry, apex acuminate. Ventral leaves on branches slightly ascending, ovate-triangular or oblong-falcate, 1.6-2.2 × 1-1.8 mm, apex acute or mucronate; basiscopic base decurrent, margin subentire, involute; acroscopic base rounded, not overlapping stem and branches, margin subentire. Strobili solitary, terminal, compact, tetragonal, 5-6 × 1.4-2.3 mm; sporophylls unlike sterile leaves, uniform, not white-margined, broadly ovate or suborbicular, margin denticulate, apex acute; megasporophylls throughout lower side of strobili; microsporangia orbicular; microspores yellowish orange or pale yellow, megaspores whitish." Flora of China)

Habitat/ecology:  In native range(=China) (?): "In rock crevices, usually on limestone rocks; (below 100-)400-1400(-1800) m." Flora of China)

Propagation:  (no propagation information known by PIER)

Native range:  Selaginella braunii Baker (Selaginellaceae) is native to China. (GRIN)

Impacts and invaded habitats:  If you know of other invaded habitats or impacts, please let us know.

Presence:

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia	Australia	introduced	Hassler, Michael/Schmitt, Bernd (year unknown) "Introduced" based on (questionable) interpretation of distribution(?) code "(I)"
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced	Hassler, Michael/Schmitt, Bernd (year unknown) "Introduced" based on (questionable) interpretation of distribution(?) code "(I)"
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	introduced	Hassler, Michael/Schmitt, Bernd (year unknown) "Introduced" based on (questionable) interpretation of distribution(?) code "(I)"
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native cultivated	U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (year unknown) only China listed for "native"; "also cult" with no indication of where
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Hassler, Michael/Schmitt, Bernd (year unknown)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Flora of China (year unknown) "Selaginella braunii is cultivated outside of China, sometimes escaping in widely scattered localities in various parts of the world (Proctor, Ferns Jamaica, 35. 1985)."
Japan Japan	Japan	cultivated	Hassler, Michael/Schmitt, Bernd (year unknown) "cultivated" based on (questionable) interpretation of distribution(?) code "(c)"
Malaysia Malaysia	Malay peninsula	introduced	Flora of China (year unknown) "Selaginella braunii is cultivated outside of China, sometimes escaping in widely scattered localities in various parts of the world (Proctor, Ferns Jamaica, 35. 1985)."

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Europe Europe	France	introduced cultivated	Wikimedia Commons (year unknown) "Introduced" based on info from other sources (e.g., GRIN); North Carolina: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Selaginella_braunii_-_J._C._Raulston_Arboretum_-_DSC06275.JPG accessed 2019011
Europe Europe	Germany	introduced cultivated	Wikimedia Commons (year unknown) "Introduced" based on info from other sources (e.g., GRIN); Botanical Garden Heidelberg, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Selaginella_braunii.JPG accessed 20190110
India India	India (Republic of)	introduced	Hassler, Michael/Schmitt, Bernd (year unknown) "Introduced" based on (questionable) interpretation of distribution(?) code "(I)"
Jamaica Jamaica	Jamaica (country)	introduced	Hassler, Michael/Schmitt, Bernd (year unknown) "Introduced" based on (questionable) interpretation of distribution(?) code "(I)"
South America (non-Pacific rim) South America (non-Pacific rim)	Brazil	introduced	Hassler, Michael/Schmitt, Bernd (year unknown) "Introduced" based on (questionable) interpretation of distribution(?) code "(I)"
United States of America United States	United States	introduced cultivated	Randall, R. P. (2017) (p. 3096) per this ref, "naturalised" (GCW code N); "Introduced" based on info from other sources (e.g., GRIN)
United States of America United States	United States	introduced cultivated	Wikimedia Commons (year unknown) "Introduced" based on info from other sources (e.g., GRIN); e.g., North Carolina: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Selaginella_braunii_-_J._C._Raulston_Arboretum_-_DSC06275.JPG accessed 20190110
United States of America United States	United States	introduced	Hassler, Michael/Schmitt, Bernd (year unknown) "Introduced" based on (questionable) interpretation of distribution code(?) "(I)"
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018) "Introduced" based on info from other sources (e.g., GRIN)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced cultivated	Landry, Garrie P./Israel, Michael/Schwarzwalder, Robert (Jr.)/Thomas, R. Dale (1979) (p. 86) "Naturalization of cultivated pteridophytes in Louisiana is not without precedent; Selaginella braunii Baker and S. uncinata Spring both have become established (Landry, unpubl.)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	USDA/NRCS (year unknown) Introduced, present in NC/GA/AL/LA 20190111

Comments:  Selaginella braunii Baker (Selaginellaceae) is reported to be cultivated in some places (GRIN), including "greenhouses, nurseries, and gardens mainly in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas" (JSTOR) and in various botanical gardens around the world (see PIER presence/distribution data).

"Selaginella braunii is cultivated outside of China, sometimes escaping in widely scattered localities in various parts of the world (Proctor, Ferns Jamaica, 35. 1985)." Flora of China)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Selaginella braunii, please let us know.