Selaginella

Spikemosses

Selagineella, commonly known as spike moss, is a unique genus of primitive vascular plants. Often referred to as resurrection plants, they possess the extraordinary ability to survive extreme dehydration. Beyond their botanical fascination, various species are studied for their bioactive compounds, offering significant potential in traditional medicine and pharmacology.

  • Scientific name: Selaginella
  • Family: Selaginellaceae
  • Native range: Europe

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Lycopodiidae, it is organized under the order Selaginellales and the family Selaginellaceae. Ultimately, the medicinal species is identified by the genus Selaginella.

Rank Classification Source
Kingdom Plantae WCVP
Phylum Streptophyta WCVP
Class Equisetopsida WCVP
Subclass Lycopodiidae WCVP
Order Selaginellales WCVP
Family Selaginellaceae WCVP
Genus Selaginella WCVP

Common Names

This plant, belonging to the genus Selaginella, is known by various names across different languages and cultures. In Poland, it is referred to as Widliczka, while in Quechua, it is called Hiki p'anqa. In Korean, the name used is 부처손속, and in Hebrew, it is written as סלגינל. Additionally, in Hungarian, it is known as csipkeharaszt.
Language Common Name Source
pl Widliczka Wikidata
qu Hiki p'anqa Wikidata
ko 부처손속 Wikidata
he סלגינל Wikidata
hu csipkeharaszt Wikidata
de Moosfarne Wikidata
ja イワヒバ属 Wikidata
sv Mosslumrar Wikidata
ru Селагинелла Wikidata
ca Selaginel·la Wikidata

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical distribution concentrated within the northern regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in the natural landscapes of Denmark and Finland. Its presence extends to the island territories of Føroyar and Iceland. Additionally, the species is documented within the diverse habitats of Great Britain. Together, these locations define the primary northern range for this medicinal plant.

Region Area Source
Northern Europe Denmark WCVP
Northern Europe Finland WCVP
Northern Europe Føroyar WCVP
Northern Europe Great Britain WCVP
Northern Europe Iceland WCVP
Northern Europe Ireland WCVP
Northern Europe Norway WCVP
Northern Europe Sweden WCVP
Middle Europe Austria WCVP
Middle Europe Belgium WCVP

Chemicals

Selaginella has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include amentoflavone.

Total chemicals
1
Scientific sources
1

Most Reported Compounds

Compound Sources Confidence
amentoflavone 1 ★☆☆☆☆