Selaginella cinerascens
Encyclopedia
Selaginella cinerascens is a species of spikemoss known by the common names ashy spikemoss, gray spikemoss, and mesa spikemoss. It is native to Baja California
as well as some locations just north of the border in San Diego County, California
. It grows in dry habitat, often on clay
soil, both in open areas and in the shade of larger plants. This lycophyte
forms mats of spreading, forking stems up to 18 centimeters long. The plant is often gray or brown in color, forming a dull-colored carpet on the substrate. The linear or lance-shaped leaves are 1 to 3 millimeters long and lack bristles at the tips. The leaves are green when new or moist. They are flattened to the stem or stick out just a little. The strobili
borne at the leaf bases are yellow in color and no more than 4 to 5 millimeters long.
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
as well as some locations just north of the border in San Diego County, California
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
. It grows in dry habitat, often on clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
soil, both in open areas and in the shade of larger plants. This lycophyte
Lycopodiophyta
The Division Lycopodiophyta is a tracheophyte subdivision of the Kingdom Plantae. It is the oldest extant vascular plant division at around 410 million years old, and includes some of the most "primitive" extant species...
forms mats of spreading, forking stems up to 18 centimeters long. The plant is often gray or brown in color, forming a dull-colored carpet on the substrate. The linear or lance-shaped leaves are 1 to 3 millimeters long and lack bristles at the tips. The leaves are green when new or moist. They are flattened to the stem or stick out just a little. The strobili
Strobilus
A strobilus is a structure present on many land plant species consisting of sporangia-bearing structures densely aggregated along a stem. Strobili are often called cones, but many botanists restrict the use of the term cone to the woody seed strobili of conifers...
borne at the leaf bases are yellow in color and no more than 4 to 5 millimeters long.