Selaginella kraussiana (Kunze) A.Braun, Selaginellaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Lycopodium kraussianum Kunze

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Krauss' spike-moss, mat spike-moss, selaginella, small club moss, spreading club-moss, trailing spike-moss

Hawaiian: lepelepe a moa

Habit:  fern

Description:  "Plants terrestrial, forming diffuse mats. Stems long-creeping, branched, branches 3-forked, flat, articulate, glabrous. Rhizophores borne on upper side of stems throughout stem length, 1-3 mm in diameter. Leaves delicate, papery. Lateral leaves nearly perpendicular to stem, well spaced, green, lanceolate, 2.5-3.6 x 0.8-1.2 mm; base rounded; margins slightly transparent to green, dentate; apex acute. Median leaves lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 2-2.7 x 0.6-0.8 mm; base with small outer auricle; margins slightly transparent to green, dentate; apex acuminate. Strobili solitary, 0.2-2.5 cm, with only 1 megasporangium, megasporangium basal; sporophylls keeled, dentate, strongly tapering toward apex, base glabrous, margins denticulate, apex acuminate; megasporophylls larger than microsporophylls, in groups of 4, 2 like vegetative leaves, 2 like sporophylls, of the latter 1 large, lanceolate-elliptic, 1 smaller, falcate-lanceolate; microsporophylls lanceolate to narrowly ovate-lanceolate"  (Flora of North America online).

"Horizontal rhizomes long-creeping, 4-5 mm wide including the very distant lateral leaves. Erect stems 1.5-6 cm long, pseudodichotomously (appearing somewhat pinnately) branched. Branchlets ca. 3.5-4 mm wide including the rather closely spaced lateral leaves. Lateral leaves elliptic-lanceolate, 2.5-3 mm long, 0.8-1 mm wide (ca. 1/4 smaller on the branchlets), minutely and evenly ciliolate. Cones tetragonal, 2-12 mm long, 1 mm wide" (Lettinger, 1985; p. 69).

Habitat/ecology:  Terrestrial on riverbanks, along lake margins, and in well watered lawns" (Lettinger, 1985; p. 69). Cultivated as a decorative plant. In Hawai‘i, "it grows in lawns, edges of fields, and along trails and roadsides in wet areas" (Wilson, 1996).

Propagation:  Spores and stem fragments.

Native range:  South Africa.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 13) "A garden escape, persisting as a weed in a few places". Voucher cited: W.R. Sykes NI 658(CHR)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island		Wilson, K. A. (1996)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 53) Escape from cultivation.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island		Wilson, K. A. (1996)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, W. L./Herbst, D. R./Lorence, D. H. (2005)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island		Wilson, K. A. (1996)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 53) Escape from cultivation.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive cultivated	Australian Biological Resources Study (2011)
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 8)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Owen, S. J. (1997)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 5) "Damp forest floors, stream banks".

Control:  "Tiny fragments persist that are difficult to find. Clear and maintain from tracks, especially at their ends, to prevent movement further into the bush area. Peg sites out to facilitate identification when following up, and check 3-monthly for regrowth."

Physical:  "Pull out very small areas. Dispose of at a refuse transfer station, burn or bury deeply."

Chemical:  "1. Spray: 100ml glyphosate + 2g metsulferon-methyl 600g/kg + 10 ml penetrant /10L. Follow up 3-monthly until site clear (possibly 4 times). 
2. Spray: glyphosate (20ml/L). Follow up as above"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Additional information:
Photos and additional information at the Environment Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, web site of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Information sheet from Weedbusters New Zealand.

Additional online information about Selaginella kraussiana is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Selaginella kraussiana as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Selaginella kraussiana may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Australian Biological Resources Study. 2011. Flora of Australia Online. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.

Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 2011. Flora of North America North of Mexico (online edition).

Lellinger, D. B. 1985. A field manual of the ferns and fern allies of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press.

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1994. Flora of Australia. Vol. 49, Oceanic islands 1. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Owen, S. J. 1997. Ecological weeds on conservation land in New Zealand: A database. Working draft. Wellington, New Zealand. Department of Conservation.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2005. A tropical garden flora: plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 908 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, W. L./Herbst, D. R./Lorence, D. H. 2005. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands website (online resource).

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.

Wilson, K. A. 1996. Alien ferns in Hawai‘i. Pacific Science. 50(2):127-141.

Wu, Te-lin. 2001. Check List of Hong Kong Plants. Hong Kong Herbarium and the South China Institute of Botany. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Bulletin 1 (revised). 384 pp.