Plant
Club Moss
Selaginella erythropusAlso known as Ruby Red Spikemoss, Red Clubmoss, Red-Stemmed Spikemoss
Ruby red spikemoss carpets damp tropical forest floors with its striking, bi-colored foliage. The upper surfaces of its delicate, fern-like fronds capture filtered sunlight in deep green, while the undersides flash a brilliant ruby red to maximize light absorption in the dim understory. These ancient lycophytes thrive in high-humidity microclimates, reproducing via microscopic spores rather than seeds or flowers.
Shade-lovingColorfulSpore-bearing
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPhotosynthetic (water, sunlight, and soil nutrients)
Predators
- Herbivorous insects
- Snails
- Slugs
ThreatsDeforestation, habitat fragmentation, climate change
HabitatsTropical rainforest floors, shaded riverbanks, humid ravines
Life spanPerennial (many years under stable conditions)
Classification
- FamilySelaginellaceae
- SpeciesSelaginella erythropus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Frond Inspection: Gently lift a branch to marvel at the contrasting ruby-red underside.
- Habitat Spotting: Search for this plant in deeply shaded, dripping wet ravines and riverbanks.
Close Relative Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Nicola van Berkel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Nicola van Berkel · cc-by-sa
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