Spikemoss refers to any plant of the genus Selaginella in the family Selaginellaceae. Many workers still place the Selaginellales in the class Lycopsida (modern nomenclature: Lycopodiopsida). This group of plants are considered to be part of the fern allies. Selaginella A member of phylum Lycophyta, adapted for dry conditions (xerophyte). ... Fern ally is a general term covering a somewhat diverse group of vascular plants that are not flowering plants and not true ferns. ...

The spikemosses are creeping or ascendant plants with simple, scale-like leaves on branching stems from which roots also arise. The plants are heterosporous. The term spore has several different meanings in biology. ...

There are about 700 species of Selaginella, showing a wide range of characters; the genus is overdue for a revision which might include subdivision into several genera. Better-known spikemosses include:

• Selaginella selaginoides -- Lesser clubmoss (north temperate Europe, Asia and North America)
• Selaginella apoda -- Meadow spikemoss (eastern North America)
• Selaginella eclipes -- Hidden spikemoss (eastern North America)
• Selaginella rupestris -- Rock spikemoss (eastern North America)
• Selaginella kraussiana -- Krauss's spikemoss (Africa, Azores)

Many species of Selaginella are desert plants known as "resurrection plants", because they curl up in a tight, brown or reddish ball during dry times, and uncurl and turn green in the presence of moisture. Other species are tropical forest plants that appear at first glance to be ferns. World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... Flag of Azores Shaded relief map of the Azores from 1975 The Azores (Portuguese: Açores) are an archipelago of Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,500 km from Lisbon and about 3,900 km from the east coast of North America. ... A dune in the Egyptian desert Desert in California In geography, a desert is a landscape form or region that receives little precipitation. ... A dense growth of softwoods (a forest) in the Sierra Nevada Range of Northern California A forest is an area with a high density of trees (or, historically, an area set aside for hunting). ... Click here Missing image Image:http://terceiroanel. ...