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Wallace's spikemoss

Selaginella wallacei

Wallace's spikemoss is a special plant that looks like a tiny green carpet! It loves to grow in moist, shady places and has unique leaves that can curl up when it's dry.

Habitat: Rainforests

Appearance

The Wallace's spikemoss is a small, mat-forming plant with delicate, scale-like leaves that tightly overlap along its creeping stems. Its vibrant green foliage often displays reddish or brownish tinges, creating a dense, carpet-like appearance on rocks or soil.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLycopodiopsidaOrderSelaginellalesFamilySelaginellaceaeGenusSelaginella
Wallace's spikemoss
nonvascular trait badgegrasslike trait badgeshade_tolerant trait badgespore_producing trait badge
Wallace's spikemoss

Category

Plants

Rarity

Rare

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

1

Interesting facts

Instead of flowers and seeds, Wallace's spikemoss reproduces using tiny, dust-like spores!

Its scientific name honors Alfred Russel Wallace, who co-discovered evolution!

Some ancient relatives of spikemosses grew into giant trees, like prehistoric forests!

This amazing plant is not a moss at all, but a "lycophyte," an ancient plant group!

Special abilities

Ability

Resurrection Power

Wallace's spikemoss can dry out completely and appear dead, then unfurl and become green again when water returns, helping it survive droughts.

Ability

Ancient Survivor

It has tiny spore-producing structures at stem tips, which release dust-like spores into the wind to create new plants, helping it reproduce.

Ability

Ground Hugger

Wallace's spikemoss can form dense, mat-like cushions that spread across surfaces, helping it cover ground and compete with other small plants.

Measurements & details

Height
5-15 cm
Spread
10-30 cm
Edible
No
Toxicity
None
Lifecycle
Perennial

Ecological connections

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Wallace's spikemoss?

The easiest way to identify Wallace's spikemoss is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.

How tall is Wallace's spikemoss?

5-15 cm

How wide does Wallace's spikemoss spread?

10-30 cm

Is Wallace's spikemoss edible?

No

Is Wallace's spikemoss toxic?

None

What is Wallace's spikemoss's lifecycle?

Perennial

Where is Wallace's spikemoss usually found?

Rainforests

Snap Map

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