plant · GBIF taxon 4940384
Spikemoss
Selaginella myosurusAlso known as Mouse-tail Spikemoss, African Spikemoss
Mouse-tail spikemoss carpets damp, shaded tropical forest floors with intricate, fern-like mats of bright green foliage. These ancient vascular plants reproduce via microscopic spores housed in slender, tail-like cones at the branch tips. They play a vital ecological role by stabilizing moist soils and creating humid microhabitats for tiny forest invertebrates.
Spore-bearingShade-lovingTropical
- diet
- Photosynthetic (sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide)
- family
- Selaginellaceae
- threats
- Deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and climate change altering local humidity levels
- life Span
- Perennial
NE
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Look for strobili: Search the tips of the branches for the slender, tail-like spore cones that give this plant its name.
- Check moisture levels: Find these plants in highly humid, shaded microclimates near forest streams or wet rocks.
- Avoid trampling: Watch your step in damp tropical forests to avoid crushing the delicate, creeping mats.