About Selaginella eremophila Maxon
Selaginella eremophila, formally published as Selaginella eremophila Maxon, is a species of spikemoss commonly called desert spikemoss. This lycophyte is native to deserts and adjacent neighboring mountains around the area where California, Arizona, and Baja California meet. It grows in sandy and rocky habitats. It forms dense mats made up of spreading stems that bear small, forking branches. Its lance-shaped leaves reach up to 3 millimeters long on the lower surfaces of stems, and are slightly shorter on the upper stem sides. The tiny leaves have pointed tips that bear soft, twisted bristles. The strobili, which hold the plant's reproductive parts, are less than one centimeter long.
