Arborvitae Fern

Selaginella braunii is cultivated in greenhouses, nurseries, and gardens mainly in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. It is related to S . ostenfeldii Hieronymus of Thailand, Burma, and Indochina, and to S . mairei H. Leveillé, also from Burma and from Indochina.

Plants terrestrial, tree-shaped. Stems erect, highly branched, branches 4-forked, flat, not articulate, hispid. Rhizophores not seen. Leaves rugose. Lateral leaves distant, green, ovate-oblong, 2--2.5 X 0.7--1 mm; base truncate, basiscopically forming very short wing; margins green to slightly transparent, usually revolute, crenate; apex obtuse to rounded. Median leaves lanceolate-oblong to asymmetric, 2--3 X 1 mm; base peltate, rounded; margins green to slightly transparent, usually revolute, crenate; apex long-acuminate. Strobili solitary, 2--8 mm; sporophylls monomorphic, cordate to deltate-ovate, base glabrous, margins green, slightly crenate, apex cuspidate to acuminate. 2 n = 20.

Ala., Ga., La., N.C.; native of China.

Habitat unknown; introduced; 0--50m.